Anyone a software engineer?

[Chris_ZS]

Bit of an odd one, but looking to see if anyone is a software engineer on here? Or in a similar area.

Thinking about applying to uni for a software engineering course, would like to know some basics things to learn to get myself a little ahead of the game.

Wont go on anymore as theres a high chance no one is lol

Cheers

 

[sbridgey]

I am currently doing a software development work placement as part of my uni degree, any questions at all fire away.

 

[M26]

If you are applying to start in first year then I wouldn't worry about it too much since they will generally start from scratch anyway.

Find out what programming languages they teach and maybe try and familiarize yourself with them first.

I've covered Java, C, C++, Haskell, HTML, PHP, Javascript, Ruby on Rails, jQuery, MySQL, Ajax on my course but once you learn one language, its easy to pick up the rest really.

Good luck !

 

[M26]

I am currently doing a software development work placement as part of my uni degree, any questions at all fire away.

Would you mind PMing me some details about your placement?

I'm thinking of doing one over the summer of next year but don't know what to expect really.

Cheers

 

[Chris_ZS]

Yeah a friend said to look into C++ and Java, but I don't want to just download crap and teach myself pointless things.

http://courses.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-degree/software-engineering/bsc-hons/129/

thats the course i'm looking at, I want to apply now for next year. I have 240 points from 4 years ago.. Hoping they haven't "expired" or anything?

Not really sure what questions to ask! just want to know a bit more about whats involved, I get the main idea and have worke with Visual basic and simple things like that before.

Is there that much maths involved? I have read calculus and things are a part of it?

 

[sbridgey]

C# is what its all about these days and and I think looking into MVC would be beneficial for you.

 

[Chris_ZS]

yeah I read about that C# popped up, did wonder if it was the next C++ or an upgrade.

Download MVC and have a play with it?

http://www.asp.net/mvc

?

 

[sbridgey]

C# is an easier and better version of C++.

Yeah to get MVC download the full Visual studio trial and work your way through some of the Microsoft tutorials, you will learn about many languages doing that.

 

[Chris_ZS]

Am I going to need a computer? (sounds like a stupid question)

I have a laptop at the mo, no mouse, is it going to be a pain? Do these programs require quite a bit of power, I don't recall the old stuff needing too much but some of the newer stuff might be more strenuous. Been out of the IT game a bit too long, need to play catch up.

 

[sbridgey]

Not really, at work I use a laptop with a keyboard mouse and second monitor plugged in. Having 2 screens makes software development so much easier, I would invest in another screen if i were you.

 

[Chris_ZS]

Cool

I only have my bed, thats why I have a laptop, small room. But will look into a way of trying to make my room suit bettter.

Better pull my finger out and get the application sent off, i'm 20 points off the entry mark but that shouldn't disadvantage me too much I hope.

 

[Addicted]

I am a software engineer/developer/generic role here.

Specialize in C# + web technologies, what do you want to know?


edit: your laptop should be fine, you will definitely want a mouse though.

As Simon has said, screen real estate is the main issue at the moment which is why I roll with 3 monitors. Only got 2 at work though mind.

C# would be a good language to start into, though may put you off if you are not a "programmer" - what I mean by that is from what I've seen you can either program or you can't (understanding the principles of it).

 

[Chris_ZS]

Well I would like to become a programmer, I'd like to work in the gaming industry but i've always had an interest in making/developing/fixing software.

Its hard to know what I want to know now I think about it. Just I guess general things that would be good to learn before uni, perhaps it'd be good to know what sort of industry you made it into? Are you freelance or in a company?

I am under no illusions that it is not a stress free job and requires a lot of attention, I think the programming side interests me quite a lot. So I will look into that.

 

[Cookie]

PM Lee, he does gaming software and s**t

 

[meves]

It depends what role you're looking for afterwards but C#, Java and mobile platforms are what we're hiring people for at the moment but c# and java are the best base to work from.

 

[sn00p]

I'd laugh the ass of somebody if they came looking for a job and all they could program in was c# and java.

Learn "c" because most languages are either supersets or borrow heavily from it (even the toy languages like java and c#).

You'll learn stuff that you wouldn't with object oriented languages because c is about as close to "Bare metal" as you can get without resorting to assembler. It's always useful to understand how a computer works and why it's nothing more than a glorified calculator.

If you can pick "c" up then you'll be able to pick anything up.

 

[sn00p]

Well I would like to become a programmer, I'd like to work in the gaming industry but i've always had an interest in making/developing/fixing software.

What's your maths and physics like?

The games industry is notably hard to get into because its pretty much a pre-requisite to have x years game development experience and y number of released titles AND good qualifications in maths & physics.

 

[Munson]

TBH there's more to be being a good programmer than knowing a language. A really good programmer understands how to make things happen, and will pickup almost any language with little more help than a manual. I've known people who know a language inside out, yet their code is bloated and inefficient because they're not very good programmers.

 

[sn00p]

And that.

I've known people with degrees who still can't get their head around how you "know where to start" when writing a program.

IMHO, it's something you're either wired for or you're not. I think it's possible to teach somebody to be a poor coder, I don't think it's possible to teach somebody to be a exceptional coder, that is something you're born with.

 

[Addicted]

And that.

I've known people with degrees who still can't get their head around how you "know where to start" when writing a program.

IMHO, it's something you're either wired for or you're not. I think it's possible to teach somebody to be a poor coder, I don't think it's possible to teach somebody to be a exceptional coder, that is something you're born with.

Lol yep I know plenty of those, kinda funny but also insulting they got degree's!

And I entirely agree with the last point.

 

[sbridgey]

I am not born with it.

 

[sn00p]

I am not born with it.

Of course you are (unless of course you fall into the bracket of piss poor programmers)- genetics determine everything about you.

I couldn't spend 5 days a week painting and decorating because I'd want to commit suicide after 2 minutes, but other people are wired to do that, likewise they couldn't spend 5 days a week in front of a computer solving problems.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Couldn't agree more

You're either born as a good problem solver and therefore make a good programmer - or you're not
There's so many coders I've worked with in the last 15-20 years that just can't naturally solve problems and end up writing tons of pointless spaghetti code that's impossible to maintain.

As others have said I'd learn the basics of C, the chances are if you do become a game developer these days it'll be on a mobile platform like iOS or Android or a web platform. Console gaming is nearly impossible to get into.

90% of languages you'll use (Objective C, C#, PHP etc.. etc..) all come from a C background - so it's a nice generic low level language for you to learn to program in. If you learn specifically C# you'll already have locked yourself into a certain type of coding - and I wouldn't do that until you've had a bit of industry experience to be honest

I've coded in PHP, C, C++, VB, ASP, ASP.net, Javascript/Jquery, Cobol, Foxpro, Pascal, Basic, 8086 Assembler, Lisp ..... and probably a load more i've forgotten lol took me a good 4-5 years to settle down into a language I find flexible enough for my needs

 

[Chris_ZS]

Maths and Physics aren't great i'd say, little rusty seeing as school was a good few years ago now lol

Hmm, i'll apply and see where I get, I have downloaded MVC and I the first guide is what I did back in college so i'll just have a crack at bits and bobs on there and see what I remember. I do enjoy it and I am not an unintellegent person, I need a challenge in my life and unfortunately Tesco and all the other crap i've done with my life aren't really giving me any challenge, and I hate customers, and without being big headed I am a lot better than that.

It's not going to be easy I know that, and maths is definately something i'll need to get up to scratch on, but its something I have always liked, and when we did it back and made a post office program in VB and a Film database, I really enjoyed doing it.

 

[sn00p]

Maths and Physics aren't great i'd say, little rusty seeing as school was a good few years ago now lol

Hmm, i'll apply and see where I get, I have downloaded MVC and I the first guide is what I did back in college so i'll just have a crack at bits and bobs on there and see what I remember. I do enjoy it and I am not an unintellegent person, I need a challenge in my life and unfortunately Tesco and all the other crap i've done with my life aren't really giving me any challenge, and I hate customers, and without being big headed I am a lot better than that.

It's not going to be easy I know that, and maths is definately something i'll need to get up to scratch on, but its something I have always liked, and when we did it back and made a post office program in VB and a Film database, I really enjoyed doing it.

If you don't have good a-levels in maths and physics then you can definitely forget your dream of game development!

However, you also have to bear in mind that most programmers don't come into contact with anything other than basic math (and zero physics) because of the types of applications they're involved with you're probably more likely to require some sort of ui framework an database skills in the majority of "coding jobs".

That said, I've worked on everything from cad software to medical instruments to radar systems - but then I specialise in embedded systems which have about as much in common with your home pc as a box of frosties!

I couldn't bear writing windows software day in day out these days. </cold sweats>

 

[Cup_Phil]

^^ I think that's a bit of an old fashioned viewpoint mate. If you're wanting to work on COD5 or something then yeah physics and maths are massively important. If you want to work a mobile games studio and write some top iPhone/iPad games - it's nowhere near as important

As for windows - I can't even use it anymore, life is way too short for that s**t

 

[Chris_ZS]

Ah fair. I was interested in the game side but I did see games technology course and needed more points etc. Was going to applying for the crack anyway. Although a friend said there are more jobs in general programming than games. But I only have three a levels in IT so nthat's not going to help me lol
I don't mind what I do too much to start with. 4 years of uni yet lol if i get in.

 

[Chris_ZS]

Stuck now on personal statement, got a reference sorted from college hopefully so just need to think of good ways to make my personal statement shine lol

If you guys any sort of tips they would be appreciated!

 

[SharkyUK]

^ Hi mate. There's a lot of good answers above but feel free to post up if you have any specific questions that might be nagging away. I have a fair bit of experience (i.e. I'm old) as I've now been coding over 30 years and spent 12 of those years working as a game programmer. I've sat at both ends of a table during the hiring process, too; either applying for jobs or hiring for jobs so can possibly help out there.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the challenge. That's why I'm still hooked on coding as much now as when I started.

 

[sn00p]

^^ I think that's a bit of an old fashioned viewpoint mate. If you're wanting to work on COD5 or something then yeah physics and maths are massively important. If you want to work a mobile games studio and write some top iPhone/iPad games - it's nowhere near as important

True, but then again, maybe I'm a "code snob" and have a different definition of what a games developer is!

"I'm a games developer"
"Cool, what did you write, COD? Halo?"
"Umm, no, erm, Bubble Blast"
"Oh, erm, cool"

 

[Cup_Phil]

True, but then again, maybe I'm a "code snob" and have a different definition of what a games developer is!

"I'm a games developer"
"Cool, what did you write, COD? Halo?"
"Umm, no, erm, Bubble Blast"
"Oh, erm, cool"

Hahahahah yeah I used to be exactly the same way - but the lads who ripped off that castle game and turned it into angry birds now hold the record for the biggest selling game of all time.

I think the days of Xbox/PS2 development being king are long dead - it seems like every single kid in the world has an android or iOS device these days - and the apple appstore has really opened up software development to the masses

 

[sn00p]

Angry birds is a physics game though

 

[Cup_Phil]

LMFAO yes - I know, it's a terrible example for the "not needing to understand physics" argument - ok how about Zynga Poker - they provide over 1/3rd of all facebooks revenue. ANYONE could write a poker game. A lot of the time it's more about the user experience and social side of gaming these days

 

[Chip-mk1]

IMHO a software engineering degree is a handy thing to have on your CV, but naff all relevance to if you are a good coder or not.

I started programming when I was 7, and TBH I would say 80% of what I knew that was useful to get me my first job as a software engineer I learnt between 7 and 17 in my spare time, and only 20% as part of my degree.

Experience is key, some of the best programmers I have worked with havent had formal qualifications, so the degree might be useful to get your first foot in the door, but from there on it you will hardly use anything from it IME, in fact half the tutors I had knew less about the subjects they were teaching than I did from 10 years of self study I reckon, and normally they are pretty out of date with current languages and technologies etc too.

 

[Cup_Phil]

IMHO a software engineering degree is a handy thing to have on your CV, but naff all relevance to if you are a good coder or not.

I started programming when I was 7, and TBH I would say 80% of what I knew that was useful to get me my first job as a software engineer I learnt between 7 and 17 in my spare time, and only 20% as part of my degree.

Experience is key, some of the best programmers I have worked with havent had formal qualifications, so the degree might be useful to get your first foot in the door, but from there on it you will hardly use anything from it IME, in fact half the tutors I had knew less about the subjects they were teaching than I did from 10 years of self study I reckon, and normally they are pretty out of date with current languages and technologies etc too.

Bang on. I started coding when I was 12 (late starter LOL)
I went to college and they taught me 8086 assembler, cobol and pascal. Left college and went for an interview and OBVIOUSLY they wanted me to know C++, so I said "give me 6 weeks" bought a book and learnt C++, went back and got the job. Then they moved from Linux C++ to Windows VB (ugh) so I learnt that while working - they sent me on a HNC at Uni on a day release, where they tried to re-teach me OOP in C++ (which was what I did for a living lolz) so that was useless
Then went for a job in ASP, as I wanted to move to web stuff - again had to self learn it, and from there went through a load of languages including java, ruby on rails etc.. until I ended up on PHP

The first job I ever got they wanted to see a college certificate, not a single job since has cared - they all wanted 2-3 years experience and examples of previous work

 

[sbridgey]

I started coding at school aged 16, hated it, did more at college hated it, started a networking degree at uni, quite enjoyed the programming modules, now i am doing a programming work placement and it is quite enjoyable.

 

[sn00p]

Seeing as there's quite a few of us, what sort of software (and technology) are we all working on then?

I'm currently doing embedded DSP stuff for radar technology. I spend half my life buried in schematics, datasheets for electronic components, logic analysers and oscilloscopes.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Ive programmed everything from ECU's to power station central control computers to websites, the difficult bit isnt the writing code, its the understanding the human requirements IMHO, writing code is easy, I could do that by the age of about 10 perfectly well enough to get by for industry standards (in terms of the code not the documentation etc of course), but it took me until at least my mid 20s till I actually learned to listen to the requirements properly (several jobs down the line and lots of software written and paid for which while technically correct probably didnt actually do what the clients wanted!)

 

[sbridgey]

I am creating a program that using canbus data monitors the vehicles battery voltage and provides warnings when it seems failure is imminent, sounds simple, it certainly isn't!

 

[Chip-mk1]

I am creating a program that using canbus data monitors the vehicles battery voltage and provides warnings when it seems failure is imminent, sounds simple, it certainly isn't!

I would think that the hardest thing about that is defining what constitutes a "failure" TBH

For example, injectors, at what voltage do you classify them as failing, given that although they will begin to open more slowly as voltage drops, the map in the ECU should contain a voltage compensation table to allow for this, so while they might officially required 12V, they will actually function very well at 9V if mapped accordingly.