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About the Author
Name: Cody Schober Plans After Graduation I will be moving to Sheboygan, where I will begin working as a programmer for Acuity Insurance in June. In my free time, I tend on pursuing entrepreneurial projects and volunteering with the Tau Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity. |
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Philosophy of Computer Science
“The programmers of tomorrow are the wizards of the future.”
These words were spoken in an interview by Gabe Newell, legendary founder of the computer entertainment titan known as Valve. This interview was first shown to me shortly before I began my Freshman Year at St. Norbert College. Through many programming and theory classes, long summers spent in internships, and late nights diving deep into the internet in a never-ending quest to learn more, I have never found a greater way to describe Computer Scientists.
To the average individual, the code behind a program that can count to ten can seem like a terrifying beast. It is a foreign language, a murky clump of letters and numbers that allows ordinary people to function in contemporary society. What’s even scarier for these people is that technology is constantly advancing. What was once commonplace for that user a few years ago is now obsolete, and this idea can turn people off to the idea of embracing technology and computers.
This, however, is what makes Computer Science so special.
Computer Science does not shy away from the towering tidal wave that is technological advancement, but rather, like the determined surfer, challenges the wave and strives to conquer it. The role of a computer scientist, or programmers in general, is to innovate and help build towards the future. It is about pushing the boundaries of programming and technology to areas previously thought inaccessible. However, the most important thing about Computer Science is that it is about humanity. It is about advancing the known concepts of programming and computer hardware so that mankind can have a higher quality of existence.
Now, can anyone dive into the realm of Computer Science? Some say that it requires intense knowledge of math, and others say that it requires a working understanding of technology. I, for one, believe that anyone has the ability to enter this field. Everyone has their own creative spark and talents within given areas. To say that someone is not smart enough to become a programmer is a gross thing to say. At one time, we were all inexperienced with technology, and we all would have been frightened by the language of computer scientists. As such, it is never too late, nor is it impossible, for someone to be introduced to this culture.
Computers are here to stay; that much is almost undeniable. With this, Computer Scientists are also here for the long haul. In the belief of Gabe Newell, programmers will continue to lead the charge, pushing our known boundaries of technology, and continue to work hard to make the science fiction of tomorrow the fact of today.
General Coding Guidelines
Don't Re-Create the Wheel
In the business professional realm, there are two things most corporations are focused on: Speed and Efficiency. You need to be able to do your work quickly, but you also need to do it at a rate that doesn’t deliver a train wreck to the customer. With the massive wealth of tutorials, example projects, forums, and books out there, it is now very hard to not find the solution that you are looking for, already out there and efficiently designed. Even if there isn't an answer readily available, there is at least something you can refer to to give yourself a spring board.
Keep Things Minimal
One of the hardest things you can do for yourself is create waste. Practices like continously repeating lines of code, creating files that look similar to each other and adding more lines of code than you actually need can be incredibly wasteful. Could you cut down on files and functions by calling only one? Is there one function call that could serve in the place of many lines of code? Judgement calls like this greatly improves the readability of code, which makes it easier to manage in the future.