Absolutely correct in that balance is needed. When I got my degree in computer sciences back in the early '80s, I actually got both. The first 2 years was teaching programming languages and more of the "pay the bills" stuff. The last 2 years was spent teaching the theory-type classes, OS theory, compiler design, and so on. When I got to the real world I used the training I had in the programming languages. Later, when I got moved into systems, I was able to put the theory to use in order to understand what MVS was doing under the covers. I didn't have any specific MVS training, but the theoretical knowledge I got made the OJT much easier.
Today, as was mentioned, we get script kiddies who have no knowledge of what actually makes the boxes tick. The stuff still has to get translated into 1's and 0's for the box to work with and we're losing the ability to get there. My $.02. Rex -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Shein Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 10:36 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Curiosity That is what corporations have ALWAYS needed a(nd never gotten). I went to a school that had a pretty decent CS program for its era. We studied Knuth (his third book had yet to be published) and were taught lots of neat theory, some of which was even useful. But the skills that actually got me hired, so I could eat, were JCL, Assembler, and evidence that I had written some real-world, working programs that solved actual problems. None of that -- let me repeat for emphasis -- NONE of it! -- was learned in class. ALL of it was learned after hours, on my own time, in the computer center, from self-study and soliciting advice and help from people who already knew how. Now, some of that early theory came in handy later on, no question. But only in the service of solving real world problems, which is the only thing anyone seems willing to actually pay me to do. Your conclusion is a dead-on bull's-eye. Balance is the key. You need both. Both means "BOTH." David ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
