The Tech Skills and Courses Google Recommends for Software Engineers

Life Hacker ^ | 11/18/2014 | Melanie Pinola

[Kid Shelleen]

Software engineering is one of the most in-demand and best paying careers, but learning computer science can also pay off even if you don't do it professionally. Google has a guide on the courses and experiences future software engineers should consider. --SNIP-- Although intended for college students, anyone can follow these recommendations, which include skills like coding in C++, Java, or Python and learning cryptography (along with online resources to aquire those skills).

It's not as in-depth as the bachelor's level computer science curriculum we've seen before, but it covers the basics, and the non-academic suggestions such as contributing to other projects are helpful for budding coders of all kinds as wel

[Mr. K]

Even though C# has taken over from C++ I am getting more and more calls about c++ programming- having lived in that world from the first day it came out for a PC (does anyone else here remember “Lifeboat c++”)

[Tennessee Nana]

Software engineers we don’t need no steenkin software engineers...

we gotz lotza illegal aliens cin du tha jobe

[MUDDOG]

I miss my old PC. I had it programmed in Basic to generate dice throws.

[Regulator]

Whatt Laff.

This is software, right?

Will all change in 6 months.

[Cementjungle]

Remember Turbo C? That was a great little compiler... and really fast!

I also love C#... best thing since sliced bread as far as I'm concerned!

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

And the ability to accept failure over and over and over until you get it right. Don’t ask too many questions, dig in and figure it out.

[proxy_user]

“....anyone can follow these recommendations, which include skills like coding in C++, Java, or Python and learning cryptography (along with online resources to aquire those skills).”

Yeah, and anyone can take physics and advanced calculus, right? Provided, of course, you are in the top 1 percentile in mathematical ability.....

[ArmstedFragg]

“learning computer science can also pay off even if you don’t do it professionally”

For one thing... if you learn “if-then”, you’ll never become a “progressive”.

[Hoodat]

Same here. I can’t find an application today that runs on 64-bit Windows. So many times I need a random number generator running in the background with an $INKEY function to spit them out (which basically is how today’s slot machines work).

[ThunderSleeps]

I remember starting with this new thing: Borland’s Turbo C++ 1.0... Back then though I’ll admit I/we just “used C++ as a better C.” We weren’t really doing what would be considered object oriented programming back then, just better/safer structured programming with some neat encapsulation on the side. What a long strange journey it’s been! ;-)

[ThunderSleeps]

For one thing... if you learn “if-then”, you’ll never become a “progressive”.

Grin, yeah, the compiler and the computer don't care what your intent was, or how the program makes you feel. There are inescapable consequences for every line of code...

delete this;

LOL

[KarlInOhio]

I miss my old PC. I had it programmed in Basic to generate dice throws.

A random number generator or a simulation of the trajectory of the dice during a temper tantrum after a low roll?

[MUDDOG]

It was the Basic random number generator.

No more excuses for a leaner.

[BwanaNdege]

“Yeah, and anyone can take physics and advanced calculus, right? Provided, of course, you are in the top 1 percentile in mathematical ability.....”

**************************************************************

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2WCc21-zA
Calculus for 6th Graders

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/superior-father-has-taught-his-8-and-5-year-old-children-algebra-and-calculus
Superior (Minnesota) father has taught his 8- and 5-year-old children algebra and calculus

http://www-math.mit.edu/~djk/calculus_beginners/
MIT - Calculus for Beginners and Artists

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/differential-calculus
Differential calculus - Khan Academy

http://www.mathsisfun.com/calculus/introduction.html
Introduction to Calculus - “Calculus is all about changes.”

[MUDDOG]

I didn't know it's a widespread problem.

My dice throwing program in BASIC on my MSDOS 8086 computer was nice and simple, using the random number generator.

[FreeReign]

And the ability to accept failure over and over and over until you get it right. Don’t ask too many questions, dig in and figure it out.

Exactly right.

When I got my first Java work, I knew very little about it. There were objects, classes, methods, fields and curly brackets as far as the eye could see, and all with big long names. It all looked Chinese to me.

But instead of failing, I put my head down, dug in, didn't ask too many questions and figured it all out.

[tophat9000]

actually right now I’m on a program learing kick C, Java and Python all at the same time

im a senior Network Engineer ..mostly Cisco.. but geting ready for the SDN and VN push.

Truth is ther some much free stuff on the web..teaching the same thing from so many different angles.. it really not that hard...im really enjoying myself

The funny thing i find it far easier to try to learn multiple related things from various teachers at the same time because it gives context for the overall subject... you see the fundamental principles that don’t change and the variables would do

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Need a job? I seriously doubt it.

[FreeReign]

Need a job? I seriously doubt it.

Nope. Currently working 55 hours a week.