Where to study programming

[Dr@g0nic]

www.itintellect.com
I was there. They have a branch(head branch actually) in Durban aswell.

 

[willirob]

Studying at varsity involves a lot more than just learning to program in C++ or JAVA (or whatever)

You have to take loads of other courses aswell like maths and chemistry etc...

Its a good all round education and you get to drink a lot of beer....

But - if you just want learn to program - do a vzap course or something and write your Sun Certs

 

[Project X]

Ok lets say i do comp and elec engineering will i just be stuck to be a programmer or do they teach you the business side of thing?


How do they teach is, like do you have a class where you sit in front of the PC and they explain how to code blah blah blah or do you learn through maths and science etc?

 

[Project X]

Out of interest, why not Java? I'm doing my Information Technology and Systems degree at Monash.

Do you guys do Maths and science as well or do you just learn about PC all day?

 

[Raithlin]

Ok lets say i do comp and elec engineering will i just be stuck to be a programmer or do they teach you the business side of thing?


How do they teach is, like do you have a class where you sit in front of the PC and they explain how to code blah blah blah or do you learn through maths and science etc?

LOL It depends what you choose to study. As an option in my UNISA degree, I had a module that was about getting a Small Business started, running, etc.

Me, I prefer to be "struck to be a programmer" - and learn the business elsewhere. More fun that way.

 

[Gnome]

University of Pretoria is also good

The IT degree is being revamped and from next year onward it should be very good, it's well thought out.

Starts out with C++ in first year with heavy emphasis on basic programming principles (1st year will be principles only, the separate the wheat from the chaff) , if you did IT in school or not everyone does the exact same modules.

Followed second year by courses in Java/C#/VB.Net depending on what you study with a focus on computer science principles (Data structures, Netcentric Applications, Design Patterns, Concurrent Systems, Operating System, etc.).

Finally third year you can pretty much pick your language and there are plenty of modules to pick from.

Almost wish I started next year because the degree is much better now.

 

[Raithlin]

Almost wish I started next year because the degree is much better now.

So, start again.

 

[Dr@g0nic]

Studying at varsity involves a lot more than just learning to program in C++ or JAVA (or whatever)

You have to take loads of other courses aswell like maths and chemistry etc...

Its a good all round education and you get to drink a lot of beer....

But - if you just want learn to program - do a vzap course or something and write your Sun Certs

Well at IT Intellect you only do IT stuff... maybe if you do the game programming course yes, there's some maths and history in, but for obvious reasons plus its a US course.

 

[Mavix]

What use would the Game Dev course from IT Intellect be here in South Africa? Is it any use here?

 

[Dr@g0nic]

Well I get what you say. Though I didn't suggest you take the Game Dev course... there's Programming and Networking courses. But if someone were to go that route, its what they make out of it... people can't mope about what use a game dev qualification is in SA if no one is doing anything about it... So make that start... Which is actually to late since ther are already some companies in SA that do Game Dev plus there's the Game.Dev community in SA aswell.

For the Record.. Check this: http://www.mini37.com/ ... Developed right here in SA by this company: http://www.luma.co.za/ , not AAA level but its better than the others around and shows that we are moving somewhere.

 

[greggpb]

Got to a university

 

[Gnome]

So, start again.

LOL. No, we did everything just some things you had a higher learning curve because it was just thrown at you whereas it's been fixed now

 

[UnoPanelvan]

University of Pretoria is also good

The IT degree is being revamped and from next year onward it should be very good, it's well thought out.

Starts out with C++ in first year with heavy emphasis on basic programming principles (1st year will be principles only, the separate the wheat from the chaff) , if you did IT in school or not everyone does the exact same modules.

Followed second year by courses in Java/C#/VB.Net depending on what you study with a focus on computer science principles (Data structures, Netcentric Applications, Design Patterns, Concurrent Systems, Operating System, etc.).

Finally third year you can pretty much pick your language and there are plenty of modules to pick from.

Almost wish I started next year because the degree is much better now.

What6 course, BACCA IT, BSC IT ???????

 

[sn3rd]

Ok lets say i do comp and elec engineering will i just be stuck to be a programmer or do they teach you the business side of thing?


How do they teach is, like do you have a class where you sit in front of the PC and they explain how to code blah blah blah or do you learn through maths and science etc?

Actually, as a Compter Engineer (i.e. B.Eng (Computer) ), you do very little programming compared to the guys "on the other side" (i.e. Computer Science and IT). As a computer engineer, your first year programming modules include a basic introduction to programming (C/C++). Second year, you do design patterns (C++) and possibly some programming application (like signal analysis). Third year onwards, it is assumed you can program in whatever they throw you, and you touch on things like assembler (under various embedded environments), Java (from a software engineering perspective), Python (as a general all-purpose rapid development tool, for example with artificial intelligence)...

 

[UnoPanelvan]

Actually, as a Compter Engineer (i.e. B.Eng (Computer) ), you do very little programming compared to the guys "on the other side" (i.e. Computer Science and IT). As a computer engineer, your first year programming modules include a basic introduction to programming (C/C++). Second year, you do design patterns (C++) and possibly some programming application (like signal analysis). Third year onwards, it is assumed you can program in whatever they throw you, and you touch on things like assembler (under various embedded environments), Java (from a software engineering perspective), Python (as a general all-purpose rapid development tool, for example with artificial intelligence)...

So which course will have programming as the main featue? Bacca? Which course is "Computer Science and IT"

 

[sn3rd]

So which course will have programming as the main featue? Bacca? Which course is "Computer Science and IT"

A specific course at some or other college. But then you probably won't go into the detail that it sounds like you want.

As a Computer Engineer, you will still have the option of moving into a software-only field. But if that's your ambition, rather go do computer science or something, because the circuits, maths and signal analysis in computer engineering will make you so depressed ("wtf am I studying this stuff for?? I want to program!!").

But the extra skills you pick up along your way through computer engineering (and indeed computer science, too) will indirectly affect your programming style. This is not neccessarily a good thing:

Computer engineers become lazy coders ("who cares if it's messy and doesn't make sense to anyone else... it works, so I'm using it!"), computer science programmers become good, but flamboyant programmers ("out of the logical, alternative approaches to this problem, this solution is the best because xyz... I can also throw in some impressive xyz to make the code elegant, even though it may hurt efficiency or readability").

All in all, it depends on what your preferred career path is (do you want to be a programmer forever??) and what kinds of applications you want to be involved in.

By "Computer Science and IT" I mean "BSc Computer Science" and "BSc IT"

 

[Gnome]

What6 course, BACCA IT, BSC IT ???????

BSc(Computer Science)
but
BSc(IT) Software Development is also basically the same with a stronger focus on systems analysis.
and
BIT
Which I didn't bother with, seemed like a waste because you have to complete 4 years of study instead of 3 (Your honours is compulsory for you to complete your degree), and in your final year you have to get a job and you sign over some of your paycheck (so I hear) sounds like total BS to me but many people take it.

BSc(CS) has the most options in terms of modules you can pick.

EDIT: Did you mean what am I studying or what courses? I do BSc(CS) tho...

 

[Threepwood]

In short (for a n00b) how does C# differ from C++?

Someone mentioned game development in this thread, what languages are used for games? My guess would be C++, C# (assuming it's somehow similar to C++)?

 

[iDenTiTy]

In short (for a n00b) how does C# differ from C++?

Someone mentioned game development in this thread, what languages are used for games? My guess would be C++, C# (assuming it's somehow similar to C++)?

C# - Managed Code (garbage collection, .NET framework. BARELY platform independent (Mono on Linux))

C++ - Object Oriented Language. I think it's 4th generation development language. MUCH more difficult to learn than C# (NO garbage collection).

Go with C++, In my experience, I found that after learning C++, C# became very easy to learn...

DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO ANY SINGLE LANGUAGE THOUGH!!!

 

[Raithlin]

DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO ANY SINGLE LANGUAGE THOUGH!!!

Wiser words were never quoted.