Embedded Software Developer

[Gnome]

I was at UP and they had very few rules as to what you could or could not take. As a result a number of CS peeps took Eng, and reverse (although most usually only for the first year).

I also studied at the University of Pretoria, 2005->2009 and then Hons in 2010. We couldn't take engineering modules unless they were on the curriculum. Two of them that we could take were Digital Systems (2nd year) and Microprocessors (3rd year).

Additionally there were 0 electronic engineering students in any CS classes.
There were some Computer Engineering students but only because they included those modules as part of the course (they failed those miserable and I felt sorry for them because they just didn't have the context required for those courses).

Also my GF did aeronautical engineering at UP. Same thing, they weren't allowed to take anything but their pre-determined curriculum. She studied 2007-2014 (undergrad, masters, etc.). She only needed 2 additional modules to qualify for a degree in Mathematics, so she actually looked into this.

So unless things changed since then or before then, this isn't true.

 

[cguy]

At UCT we had many EE students do all the CS courses from year 1 to year 3 and they typically did very well. My 2nd year project partner was an EE student, and even my CS honours project partner did some sort of hybrid all the way to 4th year (and now has a PhD in engineering).

 

[animal531]

I also studied at the University of Pretoria, 2005->2009 and then Hons in 2010. We couldn't take engineering modules unless they were on the curriculum. Two of them that we could take were Digital Systems (2nd year) and Microprocessors (3rd year).

Additionally there were 0 electronic engineering students in any CS classes.
There were some Computer Engineering students but only because they included those modules as part of the course (they failed those miserable and I felt sorry for them because they just didn't have the context required for those courses).

Also my GF did aeronautical engineering at UP. Same thing, they weren't allowed to take anything but their pre-determined curriculum. She studied 2007-2014 (undergrad, masters, etc.). She only needed 2 additional modules to qualify for a degree in Mathematics, so she actually looked into this.

So unless things changed since then or before then, this isn't true.

You missed out! I was there '96-'99...there were no rules. Supposedly you could only take so many classes, but my first year I had 3 classes per semester, 2nd year 7, 3rd year 14 odd.

A lot of us took engineering at the time, as well as other stuff like psych, space, you name it!

 

[slimeball]

Yep, my company is part of FAANG group. We bought an entire division from AMD in Germany and then bought a chip maker in Isreal to produce custom ARM silicon.
Since then we've built an enormous amount of products both internally and externally.
I interact with those people daily and 99% of them and us are CS graduates.
Some even come from engineering companies where they were CS graduates and they adapted just fine.
I'm sure there are some EEs in the actual chip layout part, but I don't interact with them because they aren't involved in software needed to run these at all.

I've also, contrary to the implication from above poster, learned a LOT of electronics since and I'd be willing to bet that a EE graduate would struggle to keep up. Most EE degrees just barely skim the surface, just like computer science degrees and when you actually dive into each field you learn so much more over time.

We have almost no electronic engineers in the company.
Most engineers that switched are mechanical engineers, surprisingly.
I suspect because mechanical is such a complex degree that the people who make it through are super adaptable.

Last but not least, Computer Science is a branch of mathematics.
If your university had more mathematics in your EE degree, then the university is the problem.
Looks like someone is conflating software engineering with computer science.
But there is no way that a university that adheres to the Washington accord would be able to offer the requisite modules for any engineering degree and squeeze computer science in there.
There is too much material to cover in 4 years for both.
The fact that an EE thinks they covered everything is part of the problem I guess or the program offered by that university is woefully inadequate.

Your making a LOT of assumptions here that are just plain wrong/ignorant.

Last but not least, Computer Science is a branch of mathematics.

Computer science is it's own distinctive branch of science, whether it is a 'branch' of mathematics is not really clear as the term 'computer science' usually implies more than it's pure mathematical component. In the same way you could say engineering is a branch of math/physics.

If your university had more mathematics in your EE degree, then the university is the problem.

Doing a CS degree at any university will involve choosing a stream to major in. You get people that do computer science with a business major, economic major, etc. Not quite sure where your confusion lies. Obviously an EE degree is going to have more maths than a CS business major.

But there is no way that a university that adheres to the Washington accord would be able to offer the requisite modules for any engineering degree and squeeze computer science in there.

Um yes it can, go and have a look at the curriculum for electrical and computer engineering at UCT. We cover first and second year computer science + optional 3rd year courses.

The fact that an EE thinks they covered everything is part of the problem I guess or the program offered by that university is woefully inadequate.

Not sure if you are trolling? Look bud no one said they covered everything, all I am saying is that if you want to work both in hardware and software it makes sense to follow an academic path that teaches you a bit of both. You cannot argue that it is easier for a CS grad to go into hardware than it is for an EE to go to software. EE requires equipment, lab experience, etc.

I've also, contrary to the implication from above poster, learned a LOT of electronics since and I'd be willing to bet that a EE graduate would struggle to keep up

Pretty sure if I asked you to design an VHF RF power amplifier stage from first principles you would have a few problems. I did a lot of RF/microwave design during my undergrad. Like I said transistor electronics is typically not taught to CS students.

And pretty much ALL the kids that couldn't hack the EE curriculum ended up switching to CS which tells you something.

However CS + strong maths component is a very rigorous combo that I have no doubt about.

 

[slimeball]

My PSU and load tester
View attachment 1447111

Variac (4kVA), hot air station and quick test + hot glue guns and various hot glues for electronics (heat shrinks too I guess)
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Fume extraction, actual industrial fan I happened to get for super cheap (lucky mislabelling of the price)
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Genuine JBC T-245 and genuine JBC tips
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One of my shelves with stuff on it. The rest (about the same amount) is in a cupboard including tons of transformers but I don't have space for them on my work desk
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IMO you can't say you are doing electronics anymore without a 3d printer. It is a huge part of rapid prototyping
View attachment 1447121

Scope and signal generator
View attachment 1447135

Some of my multimeters in a mess (rest are all over, it is a mess)
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Have a bunch of tools I didn't photograph. I have a sh#t ton of mechanical tools. Table saw, cutting saws, precision callipers (mitutoyo), various precision thermal measurement devices.
All of my electronics "lab" and printer is hooked up to a double conversion UPS so it runs throughout load shedding.

I also have things like PCB development tools and so on, but I rarely use that anymore

I took closeups because the place is a mess. I struggle to keep a clean workspace (hence taking so long to post pics)

That's nowhere close to a hardcore EE lab. For example my lab has everything you listed plus:
spectrum analyzer,
vector network analyzer,
RF signal generator,
VSWR meter,
etc

 

[Gnome]

And pretty much ALL the kids that couldn't hack the EE curriculum ended up switching to CS which tells you something.

Oooh k, you keep telling yourself that

And in any case, quite a few of the EE here seem obsessed with the idea of "how difficult is my degree".
In my industry we hire the best and I've worked with people from all backgrounds (not so much EE tho, who knows why. Maybe that "tells you something").
From people who were qualified doctors (then got degrees in computer science after realising they hate people), qualified eng, qualified actuaries, etc.

The one common factor was they didn't stop learning

Pretty sure if I asked you to design an VHF RF power amplifier stage from first principles you would have a few problems. I did a lot of RF/microwave design during my undergrad. Like I said transistor electronics is typically not taught to CS students.

Electronics is one hobby for me
Not my day job
I do the day job that pays the best because it allows me to learn other things outside of work
But electronics are not particularly complicated, I think you overestimate the complexity of your day job and/or the RF/microwave work.
Specifically I'm busy doing a part-time degree in physics and the fact that RF is just "high frequency" photons makes me think that for a lot of "EE"s the complexity is due to their missing knowledge of how photons.

That's nowhere close to a hardcore EE lab. For example my lab has everything you listed plus:
spectrum analyzer,
vector network analyzer,
RF signal generator,
VSWR meter,
etc

Your home lab?
The original discussion was around a home lab.
I never said I could rival a commercial lab, don't be ridiculous.
The laptop I carry in my backpack is more expensive than all the electronics equipment I own combined.
You can't compare what a business can buy over what an individual can afford.