Re: probably a bloody obvious question...

> Date:         Mon, 21 Aug 2000 01:13:01 -0400
> From:         Padraic Brown <pbrown@...>
> On Sun, 20 Aug 2000, Yoon Ha Lee wrote:
> >
> >My GPA in math courses alone is very good...for what *that's* worth.  I'm
> >unfortunately not as good at computational math, but everytime I tell
>
> Well, it's really not that hard! Take the plunge and damn the worries!
>
> >someone I want to learn more theoretical math (I'm taking abstract
> >algebra and intro to topology this semester, which ought to be fun) they
> >just shudder.  <G>
>
> <shudder>
Don't listen to him. I did lots of abstract math at university, and
while I've never used it directly in my job, I'm convinced that it
gave me valuable training in reasoning about unfamiliar things and
recognizing patterns when they recur in very different contexts. And
those basic skills then helped me pick up other things much easier,
not least in computer science, but also in languages and everything
else I've wanted to learn about.

So if you think theoretical math is fun, go for it.

And for all the shudderers: Learn a couple of languages instead, as
different as possible from your own. I'm sure that helps just as much
--- the approach to learning that it gives may be different, but
that's not a bad thing.

Lars Mathiesen (U of Copenhagen CS Dep) <thorinn@...> (Humour NOT marked)