[Manderman]

I'm not sure if any of these questions have been answered yet so if they have you can just leave a link to them. I did try to look around and find any possible answers. Also I think some of the questions may not directly relate to this section of the forums so sorry but they do relate to each other.

Alright to start I've been teaching my self C++ out of a "for Dummies book" and have been leaning a bit which now brings me to the following questions. But first more about my situation, as I said I'm self teaching C++ but I want to know if its the right path. I actually plan on going to collage soon which brings my first questions, although I wont be able to attend school for maybe two more semesters. I just want to know what type of math (to clarify, I'm looking for reasons to relearn it cause I might actually enjoy it now but want it to be useful) can I be learning now in the mean time, and if there is anything other then C++ that might be useful before I start collage? by the way I was just an average high school student so I would be starting with collage algebra 102 or something along those lines. The case will most likely be, that I will get a CS Degree unless there is something better. Starting out at the local Jr collage than transferring to the University (UofA) not sure how good its computer program is but looking to find out.

So I've actually been thinking ahead and doing a bit of research, its been recommended from what I've been reading to pick a project and be working toward it, like a long term goal (if you can think of any current reliable open source projects currently taking place regarding the following topic, feel free to inform me). Well I found something and need some advice, the project is regarding my next question. Here comes my next question but first some information, I'm very interested in music, was actually considering becoming a recording engineer, well that didn't work out. Now I figure the next best thing is to design the software applications the recording engineers use to make the music, programs like, Samplitude or Sound Forge just to name a couple, as this is just one option out of many. So here is my question, would a CS degree still accommodate this? Would C++ still be the route just to learn the basics? and How much math do you think will be needed? After doing a bit of research I found some other languages used by these programmers (don't know much about them) but was unsure about them, are there any recommendations here? should I be looking for any types of programing specializations in school like classes or just in my general study? the music thing is just an option, I want to leave my choices open for now.

One last note, if you know of any resources please link, I'm trying to find good information so I can learn of and about these programming languages so I know if it would be a viable option for me.

Thanks for all the help,
Mander

[modi123_1]

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I actually plan on going to collage soon which brings my first questions, although I wont be able to attend school for maybe two more semesters. I just want to know what type of math (to clarify, I'm looking for reasons to relearn it cause I might actually enjoy it now but want it to be useful) can I be learning now in the mean time,

That's pretty easy - look at your future school's program requirements. Find the math (required and optional)... Find their descriptions... act on your skills as needed. Another thing would be to call up a guidance councilor, for the program you are looking to get into, and talk with them about brushing up on your math coming in (if that's your failing). It's their jay-oh-bee to know these things. Right people for the right information.

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and if there is anything other then C++ that might be useful before I start collage?

Again - look at the languages being taught and go from there. The G.C. would be helpful here too. See if they are going to shift their core languages before you start in a year.

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Well I found something and need some advice, the project is regarding my next question. Here comes my next question but first some information,

Grr... apologize to your English teacher - now. This whole post is just fraught with broken sentences, thoughts, and words. Do not shirk on communication - especially the written kind. Lord knows project design docs, comments, bug reports, etc all require a grasp on this wonderful language.

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I'm very interested in music, was actually considering becoming a recording engineer, well that didn't work out.

You are what - a junior/senior in high school? How, pray tell, did that not work out?

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So here is my question, would a CS degree still accommodate this?

CS degrees are to teach you theory and the science of programming - syntax is just ancillary. You learn about problem solving, logic, development, design and project management, data structures, etc. Will a CS degree help you write the next soundforge? Sure. Will you graduate school with the exact and precise skills needed to make a sound forge ++? That's up to you. Do you need a degree to write a sound forge clone? No, but it helps.

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Would C++ still be the route just to learn the basics?

Mostly the language syntax isn't important - it's the concepts. Loops, variables, data structures, etc. Sure.. c++, java, c#, what evs.. go nuts.

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and How much math do you think will be needed?

To make a sound forge clone - quite a bit.

[Mina-no-Hime]

modi pretty much summed it up. If you want to do anything related to programming audio tools, you're going to need a lot of math - you can expect to take Calculus and Linear Algebra at a minimum, but that's normal for any type of computer science degree.

As far as languages go, it's true that the syntax isn't the important part, but that the concepts are most important. However, I do suggest learning C++ first, because it will give you a better understanding when you go into other (often easier) languages such as C# - many people I've met who have only ever learned C# or other .NET Languages don't really understand the difference between passing variables by value and by reference.

That being said, C++ is still the standard language when it comes to a lot of software development projects, and you'll certainly be in a better position for knowing it than if you only know a handful of other languages.

[Lemur]

As Modi said, learn to write standard english.

On Math, what it comes down to is an understanding of algebra. It's more the thinking and logical process of proofs than the math and formulas themselves. Most anyone can make a math solver if they find something on the internet, but it takes a lot more to solve an algorithm based problem that requires proofs and efficiency.

If you want to quit programming and never want to touch it again, feel free to start in C++. I don't consider it a beginners language. I would look into a scripting type language to start out in like Ruby or Python to get your feet wet, and only bother with C++ and below on the abstraction when necessary. Some may not agree, but I've seen so many quit because they tried to learn C++ that it's a strong opinion of mine.

Also along with Modi, if you're in High School and you think a path has been closed to you already, you're in for a few wake up calls. You can do next to anything you actually set your mind to, but then again it sounds like you've already quit on that front. If you've already quit, of course it won't happen. It's about the attitude and the ambition.

No one can teach you ambition and drive, but those are the two most important traits you can get. I would rather have a few people with some insane ambition and basic knowledge than a group of dead-end clock-punching geniuses, because there's something to actually work with instead of being stuck in habits.

Now does that mean that if you're seriously ambitious you'll get a job? No, it means you have a part. If you don't know a danged thing then you'll be another paper-shredded resume in the dumpster.

[murume]

My question is somewhat related to this. As our first programming course (I'm doing Bsc Hons Physics) we are learning to program in C. I want to know if this language is useful in any way in this world does anyone kow why we are not doing C++? what could be the reasons?

[xclite]

C is a great language to learn and has MANY uses. Learning C first isn't going to hurt you any. In a good computer science program, you should be exposed to multiple languages, and if you plan to be a software developer you should be open to exploring languages on your own.

[leontd]

If you are more interested in the audio aspect of computing, I would recommend you to go for an audio engineering degree. While it is true that CS and/or CSE major can get you into the audio industry, you won't be learning much related to audio but rather general computation theory and computing abstraction. As an audio engineer, you will specialize into learning all the adequate computing skills, including programming languages, and engineering skills that are related and can be applied directly to audio.


Here's a quick link for some more info on wiki: http://en.wikipedia....dio_engineering

This post has been edited by leontd: 01 October 2012 - 07:06 PM

[murume]

xclite, on 01 October 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:

In a good computer science program, you should be exposed to multiple languages, and if you plan to be a software developer you should be open to exploring languages on your own.

Yeah we have other courses coming up that are going to be for other languages. All I wanted to know was if I'm ever gonna use what I'm doing today in anything meaningful coz from what I'm told Object Oriented programming is the in thing and everything else is a bit too old school.

[wordswords]

Make sure you take a degree that has lots of maths and ideally has a course on DSP - digital signal processing. If you can't find an 'audio engineering' specialist degree that teaches you DSP, then go for a CS major with lots of math, or an electronic engineering degree, as that will help.

Audio software jobs typically require these things:

C++
DSP
Electronic engineering and embedded systems (for audio hardware)

This post has been edited by wordswords: 03 October 2012 - 04:35 AM

[xclite]

murume, on 03 October 2012 - 04:58 AM, said:

xclite, on 01 October 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:

In a good computer science program, you should be exposed to multiple languages, and if you plan to be a software developer you should be open to exploring languages on your own.

Yeah we have other courses coming up that are going to be for other languages. All I wanted to know was if I'm ever gonna use what I'm doing today in anything meaningful coz from what I'm told Object Oriented programming is the in thing and everything else is a bit too old school.

In today's job market, it's probably good to know OOP. However, you can do fine without it. You don't generally have the luxury of OOP on embedded systems, and functional languages don't use objects at all. It's just one paradigm that is hot right now.

[dhussey111]

I am doing computer science and there are many languages to learn and you can go with any language you want there are instructors available for every specific language..