I started to really start programming at the age of 15. Before that I had barely fiddled with HTML and JavaScript, barely enough to make even a generic and boring site. From there, I was inspired by my older brother who currently is a Software Engineer at Shutterstock as he invited me to work on a React.js site. We played with React-Bootstrap and had a lot of fun bridging the front end and the Node servers we were using.
I’m currently pursuing a degree in Informatics with a Concentration in Software Development and a Minor in Computer Science.
I currently know JavaScript, a little Java, and have dabbled in other languages, and love making websites with HTML5 and CSS3 since it really has a lot of flexibility. I have used React and other things, but express.js and raw HTML/CSS is where my home is, currently, as I don’t have a real development job in college.
I really have to say, that after experiencing a few Comp Sci classes already, they are very boring and certainly not for the faint-hearted. These courses are so concrete and molded into just “PROGRAMMING”. To me, they are interesting and cool because it’s how my mind works and technology is my favorite way to express myself, but for anyone that hasn’t gotten into programming at all, or even slightly before school? Definitely depressing and mundane for most people.
To be fair, web development and server architecture is certainly very different from assembly programming and hardware development, but I personally feel that at least my school didn’t pitch Informatics properly.
The way they explained it is literally just, “Computer Science but with more Business.” At a very basic level, that’s kinda right, but it’s really not. At least at my school, this degree involves Web Development, UI Design, Server Architecture, Databases, Information Technology (IT jobs, like Business Systems) and even Graphic Design if you will. On top of that, there are the, what I would call, “Computer Science of Informatics” classes, which involve JavaScript, Python, and a few other languages used in Web and Server development.
The other major part is the involvement with business and current events. The computer science program here is very focused on just content while informatics exposes you to current events, business, and business/job opportunities.
At the end of the day, a Computer Science degree is far more involved and complicated as it involves a lot more mid and low-level programming, and then with Computer Engineering, being able to branch the Hardware and Software interface and learning about even more Calculus, Physics, and basically enough information to be an Electrical Engineer. It’s certainly not for most people. However, the Informatics/IT world is much more diverse and is a little easier to comprehend.
Believe me, I love learning about the MIPS architecture and how a processor works, it’s fantastic and answers a lot of questions I’ve had since I got into computers as a child, but I don’t really see myself doing that for a living. I would much rather develop a website or manage some servers for a large company.
There’s more than just programming at the low level.