How I Became A Programmer (And Why It Might Have Been The Wrong Choice)
A brilliant computer scientist recently demolished his competition on popular U.S. game show "Jeopardy" in a new and interesting way. He compiled a database of Jeopardy questions and looked for patterns in the data, singled out the most important (and profitable) topics, tested his knowledge on those topics and used the resulting data to target his study sessions, turning himself into the ultimate Jeopardy competitor. While most folks in the audience were content to say "wow, what a geek" and move on with life, something about this method compelled me to re-examine some choices I've made and how they might have been wrong...
Most folks outside of the field aren't aware that there are two distinctly different meanings of the term "computer science" - the first (and most common) meaning is "the science of computing" - i.e. the tasks of building, programming, modifying and repairing computer systems. The second, less common, meaning is "using computers to do science."
Early on I embraced both sides of this coin. I loved programming for its own sake and I also loved solving science problems with computers. I wrote edge-finding algorithms, ran lots of Monte Carlo simulations and generally enjoyed working with computers any way someone would let me. Unfortunately, higher education forced me to choose. I was told by my counselors that I could be a programmer or a scientist but not both. I was also told that all the jobs and money were in programming, so in favor of a stable future I gave up my passion for one to more thoroughly learn the other. I can't help but feel like I've made a mistake.
It shows in my professional life, too. Today I'm a SQL programmer and doing quite nicely, but in the past when I've worked as a web developer or applications programmer, my most commonly heard phrase was "it works really well but it looks kind of plain." I've never been interested in interfaces, user experience, hell I've never really cared much about the users at all - I love manipulating data, searching for patterns and finding more efficient ways to do the preceding. I've got an eye for statistics, not design, and if I had my choice, I'd stop programming long before an interface was ever an option. At my current job my favorite thing is writing the massive complex stored procedures behind reports - my least favorite thing is creating the crystal report that displays that data.
As it turns out, my mistake is startlingly common. There are a lot of people out there who skipped out on the field they love to follow, the one that they thought would be stable or lucrative. I know now that I don't have the stuff of a real programmer in me, but I do have the stuff of a real scientist. I'm pretty sure I knew it then, too, but I sold that out in hopes of a stable job - and it didn't even pay off! I spent years in an unstable programmer's purgatory figuring out that I'd made the wrong choice. Today the closest I've come to doing what I'm truly good at is working as a database administrator, and even that isn't really ideal.
I'm taking steps to correct this: learning more appropriate programming languages, re-educating myself in applicable scientific and mathematical fields, finishing the degree I should have gone after all those years ago, but perhaps things would have turned out differently if I'd ignored my counselors and followed my heart.
So that's the message I'd like to send to the youth of the world: Ignore your counselors, follow your heart instead of your wallet, do something you're passionate about because you're passionate about it - you don't need any other reason. I'll leave you with a particularly inspiring piece from Randall Munroe because his words are more eloquent than I can ever hope to be.
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November 19th, 2011 - 03:17
Nice, invigorating post. Thank you.
November 19th, 2011 - 05:14
yes a nice way to accumulate your thoughts.
I like the way you are attempting to correct it.
I feel the same way. I should have spend more time with Mathematics and not Computer Science / Programming but I work as a Software Architect and probably paid more than I could have ever imagined.
Deep inside me – I feel I should do something – not entreprenurship – rather find some algorithms etc
For me – however, I spend a lot of time with Algorithms and Machine Learning and learn things on my own – that gives me a real pleasure and kick – and of course I do my work – which is more on Architecting / Researching Tech solutions / Designing and 50% of the time on programming etc.
November 19th, 2011 - 05:42
Scientific programming can be very boring as well. And there is not much difference between accounting and processing scientific data. And finding job as scientific programmer is hard (you have no idea!).
Maybe you want to go and follow your dream, but be aware that grass may not be greener on other side. There are many companies who exploits programmers passion, an example: http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html
I thing you choosed wrong company, rather than wrong job. My work is boring maintenance of an old system. Company and people are great, and it is stable 9-5 job which pays great.
I usually finish way ahead of time, so I can do my own programming during working hours. Now I am thinking about taking a few months off to finish one of my own projects.
November 19th, 2011 - 07:03
Why would you call yourself a “computer scientist” if you want to do science with computers??
They cant be computer Scientists can they? If I use computers for my Math Research then im not a computer scientist. Im a mathematician.
Computer science is all about computation, programming the computer machine. And Theoretical computer science is so so wonderful and a brilliant field for research minded scientists and also people who want work.
So rather than tell you should have become a proper computer scientist, I think you should say “I wish I were a statistician or something else”
I totally agree about following your dreams and passions! Brilliant!
November 19th, 2011 - 07:06
Counselors typically give generic advice that is made for the “average” student, whatever that is. Even worse are graduate advisors (professors) who exploit their graduate students as cheap labor instead of mentoring them and expanding the talents they have.
Given that you like to find patterns in data take a look at what Stanford is offering in their online courses:
http://www.ml-class.org/course/qna/view?id=3925
I’m currently taking the Machine Learning course. It’s been great, but I wish it was taught at a higher level with more rigorous math.
The field of machine learning is expanding and your passion for finding patterns in data is in demand.
November 19th, 2011 - 08:29
Great post. Follows some thoughts I’ve had recently, although I don’t consider the other steps a mistake, just a journey. :) I posted my thoughts on this kind of thing here – sounds like you may be interested in the same things as me: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/buckwoody/archive/2011/11/15/the-data-scientist.aspx
November 19th, 2011 - 11:44
Wow, thanks for the sudden influx of interest everybody. I’m glad to hear there are others out there like me who maybe made some wrong choices or others who said “to hell with the counselor” and did your own thing anyway. Really gives me hope to see others succeeding where I hope to go!