i need help with college

[lordmacroer]

i am a computer science major, but i dont like computers or technology. My cell phone is like 5 years old and all the new phones are intimidating to me. I do like computer science itself though. Is this going to be a problem for me in the future when i am trying to get a job?

 

[Antilogic]

Just say you are a fan of retro technology. I know plenty of CS guys who only play DOS games from the 90s.

Okay, more seriously, what is it about computer science you like if it's not the computers or the tech? Is it the logic in the software?

 

[Zelig]

Are you Asian and in CS because of your parents?

 

[The_J]

Get some non-computer related application field. All sorts of natural sciences and math need programmers, as well as banks or insurances.
You don't have to be interested in hardware or computer basics if you're doing your job in an unrelated field.

 

[Murky]

i am a computer science major, but i dont like computers or technology. My cell phone is like 5 years old and all the new phones are intimidating to me. I do like computer science itself though. Is this going to be a problem for me in the future when i am trying to get a job?

What is it you don't like about computers or technology? Can you be more specific?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I was a programmer for 13 years before I bought a PC.

 

[meromorph]

Renowned computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra said "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes." The point of the quote is that astronomers don't study telescopes, they use telescopes to study the universe, and so we are supposed to understand that computer scientists don't study computers, they use computers to study computation.

If you do well in your upper division courses, you might consider going to graduate school as a CS theorist. If you succeed, it is a better job than being a programmer.

 

[Glassfan]

i am a computer science major, but i dont like computers or technology. My cell phone is like 5 years old and all the new phones are intimidating to me. I do like computer science itself though. Is this going to be a problem for me in the future when i am trying to get a job?

Don't worry, you'll probably change your major twice in the next two years.

 

[Quintillus]

It is kind of important to have some details on why you don't like computers and technology. Kind of hard to know if that will be a problem in the future otherwise .

But if it's just that you don't care about being on the cutting edge, and aren't an enthusiast about things like hardware and cell phones, then no, that won't be a problem. In most jobs you can get with a CS degree, you don't need to know anything about cell phones, other than how to use one to make calls so people can contact you if need be. I know plenty of people in CS-type jobs with dumbphones (myself included - my "new" phone came out in 2006), as well as many with smartphones. Similarly, you don't have to really be "into" computers, as long as you don't mind working with them.

But I would recommend branching out somewhat if you haven't been already, and going more into a different area if you think you like it more. You don't want to be in your seventh semester and realize you wish you'd switched a year and a half ago when it wouldn't have been a big deal. Didn't happen to me, but I know people that it did happen to.

 

[lordmacroer]

Just say you are a fan of retro technology. I know plenty of CS guys who only play DOS games from the 90s.

hey that sounds like me! not so much DOS games but i still rather play civ 3 and age of empires 2 over the new editions. and the consol games i buy are like namco classics or altari classics.

Are you Asian and in CS because of your parents?

no haha and my parents dont even know how to use a computer

Get some non-computer related application field. All sorts of natural sciences and math need programmers, as well as banks or insurances.
You don't have to be interested in hardware or computer basics if you're doing your job in an unrelated field.

Renowned computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra said "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes." The point of the quote is that astronomers don't study telescopes, they use telescopes to study the universe, and so we are supposed to understand that computer scientists don't study computers, they use computers to study computation.

If you do well in your upper division courses, you might consider going to graduate school as a CS theorist. If you succeed, it is a better job than being a programmer.

hmm, good points. i never thought about that

I was a programmer for 13 years before I bought a PC.

nice

Don't worry, you'll probably change your major twice in the next two years.

true, although im the type of person who would avoid doing that just so that i dont have to do extra paperwork

It is kind of important to have some details on why you don't like computers and technology. Kind of hard to know if that will be a problem in the future otherwise

But if it's just that you don't care about being on the cutting edge, and aren't an enthusiast about things like hardware and cell phones, then no, that won't be a problem. In most jobs you can get with a CS degree, you don't need to know anything about cell phones, other than how to use one to make calls so people can contact you if need be. I know plenty of people in CS-type jobs with dumbphones (myself included - my "new" phone came out in 2006), as well as many with smartphones. Similarly, you don't have to really be "into" computers, as long as you don't mind working with them.

thats pretty much it, i love the logic and programming but i hate dealing with learning new languages and those giant manuals on computers make me dizzy just looking at them.

 

[warpus]

i am a computer science major, but i dont like computers or technology. My cell phone is like 5 years old and all the new phones are intimidating to me. I do like computer science itself though. Is this going to be a problem for me in the future when i am trying to get a job?

Nope, not at all. Most of your classes are going to be teaching you highly abstract concepts; you don't have to love technology to love learning about technology.

I got my first cell phone a year ago. I went to school for compsci over 10 years ago.

 

[Quintillus]

You'd probably be okay. The logic and programming are, of course, big parts. Not liking learning new languages could potentially be a problem, as I wouldn't count on the same language you start out with necessarily being relevant 30 years from now. And you may get job offers where you'd be programming in a different language than the ones you've studied. But you certainly don't have to be all into Objective C or whatever the hot language of the day is. You can still get jobs programming in FORTRAN or COBOL if you prefer them - just expect the average coworker to be a bit older.

 

[Leifmk]

You can still get jobs programming in FORTRAN or COBOL if you prefer them - just expect the average coworker to be a bit older.

Going this route will provide you with bulletproof job security down the line, as most of the people who know those languages die or retire, because legacy systems never go away.

 

[gangleri2001]

You just seem to be someone immune to everything related to cell phones just like me.

 

[madviking]

You can probably get a degree in more discrete-style mathematics if you really want to avoid computers but like the science behind them.

 

[rah]

Heck, I'm an IT director and I have a 3 year old cell phone that I keep in my briefcase turned off.
I also program in SAS (for the last 30 years) and have slowly acquired SQL skills.
I hire tech gurus to take care of my hardware issues. (of course over the 30 years I do have attained an aptitude in that area and can play around with it, but using experts save time)

 

[Takhisis]

i am a computer science major, but i dont like computers or technology. My cell phone is like 5 years old and all the new phones are intimidating to me. I do like computer science itself though. Is this going to be a problem for me in the future when i am trying to get a job?

The main purpose of a phone is to send and receive telephone calls, and these days also text messages and -should you need to- emails. If a prospective boss wants you to be 'hip' and 'cool' then he's an idiot.