Learning several programming languages at once
06-09-2011 at 09:44 AM
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#16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mahratta
They're probably easier than 3rd-year math electives...
Anyway, he needs at least one of them for co-op.
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so just take the one, or he won't be in coop for much longer......
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06-09-2011 at 09:46 AM
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#17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SydWishes
so just take the one, or he won't be in coop for much longer......
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A first-year programming elective shouldn't be particularly difficult for a math major. A similarly easy elective (say, first year econ) wouldn't be as practical. Math co-op involves a lot of programming.
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06-09-2011 at 09:58 AM
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#18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icecream
Not really, some programming languages are object oriented some aren't. There's a difference between the paradigms in each language (functional, imperative..)
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I've worked with about 10 different languages so far on a basic level with no significant differences noticed. If you want to get really fancy you might start finding worlds of differences between languages but if you just need to know the basics which he'll most likely be doing, I doubt there'll be phenomenal difference.
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06-09-2011 at 10:05 AM
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#19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sjager
I've worked with about 10 different languages so far on a basic level with no significant differences noticed. If you want to get really fancy you might start finding worlds of differences between languages but if you just need to know the basics which he'll most likely be doing, I doubt there'll be phenomenal difference.
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Icecream's right; there are actually lots of differences. You may not notice them if you learn programming languages on a case-by-case syntactic basis, however, which I think you may have done (hence giving the reason why you didn't really notice the differences).
Of course, it's also possible that all 10 languages were of the same particular sort.
Theoretically, languages are constructed (or at least, were constructed) with particular qualifications in mind (eg. functional vs. imperative), so it's worth keeping the qualifications in mind.
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06-09-2011 at 10:23 AM
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#20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sjager
I've worked with about 10 different languages so far on a basic level with no significant differences noticed. If you want to get really fancy you might start finding worlds of differences between languages but if you just need to know the basics which he'll most likely be doing, I doubt there'll be phenomenal difference.
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This. All the languages the guy seems to be using are imperative languages... unless he's designing huge systems, he won't see much difference between them all.
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06-09-2011 at 10:26 AM
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#21
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I like to think of programming languages as the romantic languages. On paper very different but if you are fluent in one the others sound familiar.
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06-09-2011 at 10:31 AM
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#22
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Haha it seems like the first half of the thread is telling me I'll die and the second half is telling me I'll be fine. What do? But as Mahratta said, if I don't take one or two of these programming courses, I'll be taking third year math electives anyways, like geometry or number theory, which I can only assume would be just as hard or even harder
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06-09-2011 at 10:33 AM
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#23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RankNullity
Haha it seems like the first half of the thread is telling me I'll die and the second half is telling me I'll be fine. What do? But as Mahratta said, if I don't take one or two of these programming courses, I'll be taking third year math electives anyways, like geometry or number theory, which I can only assume would be just as hard or even harder
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Take geometry with me!
Anyway, 3Q isn't really a 'programming course' from what I've heard / seen of it. It's numerical analysis - you'll just be using MATLAB as a tool (which basically uses math syntax anyway). So if you're going to worry about anything for that course, that thing shouldn't be the programming.
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06-09-2011 at 10:36 AM
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#24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mahratta
Take geometry with me!
Anyway, 3Q isn't really a 'programming course' from what I've heard / seen of it. It's numerical analysis - you'll just be using MATLAB as a tool (which basically uses math syntax anyway). So if you're going to worry about anything for that course, that thing shouldn't be the programming.
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Yeah that's true. I think I'll be taking Math 3Q03 for sure since it's recommended. And most likely I'll be taking the Comp sci course. And I think geometry would end me!
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06-09-2011 at 10:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RankNullity
Yeah that's true. I think I'll be taking Math 3Q03 for sure since it's recommended. And most likely I'll be taking the Comp sci course. And I think geometry would end me!
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Haha - did you like the stuff we did in 2XX with Dr Wang (other than the final)? 3B03 will be a continuation of that (differential geometry), from what I've heard.
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06-09-2011 at 10:44 AM
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#26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mahratta
Haha - did you like the stuff we did in 2XX with Dr Wang (other than the final)? 3B03 will be a continuation of that (differential geometry), from what I've heard.
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That stuff was alright. Near the end of the course though I was pretty much lost. And I did absolutely horrible on the exam haha. Which is why I don't think geometry would be the best fit for me. Though I did hear the prof teaching it this year is the most lenient prof ever
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06-09-2011 at 10:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RankNullity
That stuff was alright. Near the end of the course though I was pretty much lost. And I did absolutely horrible on the exam haha. Which is why I don't think geometry would be the best fit for me. Though I did hear the prof teaching it this year is the most lenient prof ever
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Ah, I see. The stuff at the end of the course was more differential geometry, so I guess you're right.
I think it's fair to say that everyone got destroyed by that final, but we got a nice boost...
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06-09-2011 at 11:55 AM
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#28
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06-09-2011 at 12:00 PM
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#29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RankNullity
Haha it seems like the first half of the thread is telling me I'll die and the second half is telling me I'll be fine. What do? But as Mahratta said, if I don't take one or two of these programming courses, I'll be taking third year math electives anyways, like geometry or number theory, which I can only assume would be just as hard or even harder
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Well it kind of depends on what kind of student you are and what other courses you'll be taking!
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06-09-2011 at 12:11 PM
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#30
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Personally I found Matlab easy, but then again i guess I like programming. I havent token a courses with matlab yet but i used it during a job placement I had in high school at ryerson. I self taught and was actually able to know enough to make a contribution to a research project. I would stick to the course that teaches Java.
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