Comments on: Generalist – Makeshift Programmer? Huuum, nice post. And for while, almost all courses are done that way. AS3, HLSL, C, C++, C#, javascript, HTML are teached here in Brazil in the same course (for 2 years courses). Why that? Because here, the courses are not focused only in 'games', but in a general context. For now, this is not so bad for the student (think as a student), but if the student can create something with...20% of what he learn, he will have a portfolio and then a job. I guess. Am I wrong? Good Lucky with your thesis! =D Huuum, nice post.
And for while, almost all courses are done that way. AS3, HLSL, C, C++, C#, javascript, HTML are teached here in Brazil in the same course (for 2 years courses). Why that? Because here, the courses are not focused only in ‘games’, but in a general context. For now, this is not so bad for the student (think as a student), but if the student can create something with…20% of what he learn, he will have a portfolio and then a job. I guess. Am I wrong?
Good Lucky with your thesis! =D

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By: Christian Marques/2011/05/25/generalist-makeshift-programmer/#comment-4881 Christian Marques Wed, 25 May 2011 23:15:34 +0000 Olá João, Espero que não haja problema em pedir uma breve informação em português. Eu também estou bastante interessado em seguir um curso de Computer Science no entanto estou com alguma dificuldade em encontrar o equivalente no nosso caro país assim como mais informações relativas ao curso (média necessária, etc.). Será que me podia indicar o nome do curso e fornecer-me um link com mais informações (da FCUL)? Muito obrigado e boa sorte com a tese e a defesa! Olá João,

Espero que não haja problema em pedir uma breve informação em português.
Eu também estou bastante interessado em seguir um curso de Computer Science no entanto estou com alguma dificuldade em encontrar o equivalente no nosso caro país assim como mais informações relativas ao curso (média necessária, etc.).
Será que me podia indicar o nome do curso e fornecer-me um link com mais informações (da FCUL)?

Muito obrigado e boa sorte com a tese e a defesa!

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By: João Costa/2011/05/25/generalist-makeshift-programmer/#comment-4866 João Costa Wed, 25 May 2011 17:10:01 +0000 I think you're joking. I hope. A good generalist programmer is a master of diving into an unfamiliar system, assessing the framework, gathering information from people who know the system (if the person who wrote it is still around), and productively working within that system. He won't be as good as the guy who wrote it, but the bigger your team gets, the more systems you have where nobody wants to own up to it--either because the author is no longer around, or because the code has been handled by so many people that it's become an undirected mess. A good generalist can take those "undirected mess" systems and organize them into something useful. I think you’re joking. I hope.

A good generalist programmer is a master of diving into an unfamiliar system, assessing the framework, gathering information from people who know the system (if the person who wrote it is still around), and productively working within that system. He won’t be as good as the guy who wrote it, but the bigger your team gets, the more systems you have where nobody wants to own up to it–either because the author is no longer around, or because the code has been handled by so many people that it’s become an undirected mess. A good generalist can take those “undirected mess” systems and organize them into something useful.

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By: Matthew Weigel/2011/05/25/generalist-makeshift-programmer/#comment-4861 Matthew Weigel Wed, 25 May 2011 16:03:24 +0000 I took a more mixed approach and did a general Bsc. and a specialist Msc. in which I was actually glad I had taken a normal software engineering base. As the master was purely about teaching us the ins and outs of C++, some physics,graphics and AI. Having had lots of algebra and algorithm constuction in the undergrad course helped a lot in learning the rest. As with the post above here it all comes down to your attitude as a learner. I have always had teachers in the undergrad stuff that said this the Bsc. and Msc. courses only exist to teach you how to learn. I took a more mixed approach and did a general Bsc. and a specialist Msc. in which I was actually glad I had taken a normal software engineering base. As the master was purely about teaching us the ins and outs of C++, some physics,graphics and AI. Having had lots of algebra and algorithm constuction in the undergrad course helped a lot in learning the rest.

As with the post above here it all comes down to your attitude as a learner. I have always had teachers in the undergrad stuff that said this the Bsc. and Msc. courses only exist to teach you how to learn.

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By: Callum Brighting/2011/05/25/generalist-makeshift-programmer/#comment-4850 Callum Brighting Wed, 25 May 2011 11:37:53 +0000 jack of all trades, master of none :) jack of all trades, master of none :)

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