Are all software engineers stupid nerds?

[Vista]

I'm planning to study software engineering in school next year. I wanted to know a little more about IT and decided to go to a study try-out. Today was the first of 4 try-out days. So I get into the room where some IT teachers are talking about the different forms of software engineering and the first things I noticed were that there were no girls at all and that everybody else looked "strange". They all were wearing ugly clothes, all had the same hair style and couldn't talk about anything else then computers.

They were looking like this:

I had to listen to their Linux... Bla... Java... Bla... PCU... APL... Bla... Bla... Microsoft... Bla... Bugs... Bla... Geforce... Bla... for 3 hours! I also am interested in computers, but I certainly can't sit in a classroom with those guys for a complete day!

I was wondering if there aren't any "normal" people that want to work as a software engineer. Do you have to be a real computernerd to become a software engineer?

[Rob Veteran]

Of course you don't have to be socially inadequate, and I think you know that... It's just like every other hobby or interest - people like to get together with like-minded people and talk about what interests them. There are plenty of people out there working with computers for a living that lead perfectly active lives when they're not in front of the screen.

[Vista]

I'm talking about the fact that I just can't work with people like that. Everything is about teamwork. How the hell can I get good grades when I have to work with people like that?

[ramesees]

Umm, you are joking right?

Plenty of the guys in my office arent nerds, they are software developers though, many have active social lives, are married, but I wouldnt call them nerds, in fact some are well built, and would probably kick your ass for the suggestion lol

[Rob Veteran]

  Vista said:

I'm talking about the fact that I just can't work with people like that. Everything is about teamwork. How the hell can I get good grades when I have to work with people like that?

586822070[/snapback]

I started my university course a couple of months ago, and I felt a bit like that. You realise that first impressions, while important, don't give a decent view of the person themselves. When you start working with people you'll soon separate those out who are only interested in Microsoft-bashing and touting their skills, and who have a genuine interest in the subject but are perfectly normal human beings. Give it time.

[Mx]

Course not, I know a load of Microsoft Coders, not one is a "nerd/geek". They are all great guys, normal, family, have fun. Certianly not Napoleon.

[khaos34]

Yeah I felt the same way once - when I first started programming, I was like "whoa - some nerdy people here." Don't worry about it. You'll always have the nerdy type in the class, along with every other type of person. :woot:

Don't dicriminate man... anyone can be cool, just take it easy and give people a chance. If you're grouping everyone into a certain class and saying you can't work with them because they're all the same, then you might want to take a look at your own work habits. Just chill, it's not the end of the world to work with someone with glasses. You have to get to know people.

[jokeripa]

LMAO! Nuh there are some cool SE's

[username();]

Some of the coolest people I know are developers. Just a bad group I guess. But remember, university is where the chicks are at.

[StudentR]

Yes you will look like him :D just humble

[tmorris1]

Software Engineering and IT weenies are two totally different jobs.

[704]

"Stupid nerds"? :blink:

[HellBender]

  Vista said:

I noticed were that there were no girls at all

586822057[/snapback]

Yeah, that's one thing that wont change. On average, barely 25% of Microsoft is female, and that's significantly more than you'll find in your classes or in smaller companies. Sucks :(

[Yvo]

I feel slightly offended by the "stupid" nerd statement.

I have a girlfriend, and in my eyes she is gorgeous. I also have a good social life, but I am proud to be a nerd.

[chopyaedoff]

i'm a geek and i take offence at what you are saying - just because we are intrested in computers and don't have the best look doesn't mean we are "strange" we are just different.

[amrinders87]

  Yvo said:

I feel slightly offended by the "stupid" nerd statement.

I have a girlfriend, and in my eyes she is gorgeous. I also have a good social life, but I am proud to be a nerd.

586822215[/snapback]

Yeah. I am proud too!

[_sphinx_]

And all blondes are idiots...Enough stereotypes...Just..enough

[pcw]

I'd say there were 85% nerds in my class when I studied SE&M.

Now I'm studying another program but it's still computers but less "nerdish" so we're down to around 55-60% nerds in our class now :)

[Khaz]

They are nerds.

They have to be. With so many options re: computer things these days they have their set programs and they rarely deviate from their established status quo.

Undoubtedly they have spent much of their life around PCs, perhaps building and installing from scratch. If they're Linux-obsessed, it's probably to be different and to claim a mastery over the "hard-core" of an OS.

It's disgusting, really, to see some that take no care of their personal image. Stay away from those guys; if they don't care about their hygiene, then they don't care about proper code spacing, tabbing, or commenting.

Also, when dealing with them in group-work situations, you're going to have to break their balls to get them to do their work unless you really click with members. I had a roommate in CompSci who was forced to repeatedly phone and reprimand 2 of his 4 man group for slacking. He and his remaining loyal group member were distraught, stressed out, and overworked, and found no mercy with the professor. He claimed they should "just do what [they] can, and submit it before the deadline."

Be ready for:

-Heated debates over proper code spacing/Operating Systems/Processors

-Reformatting and partitioning a dual-boot system

-Learning Linux

-Swearing at linux

-Getting a rotten egg of a group

Be positive about:

-Learning from group members' mistakes, getting to know your classmates. It helps to find the other "leaders" of the groups and find out who did the best etc. Then you can make a supergroup and dominate the curve!

-Having fun making java applets, mini games, sorting algorithms

-Probably a few LAN games if you're interested in that thing

-Observing what stubbornness and closed-mindedness can do to productivity

And from experience, if your post secondary experience in the first year sucks, then switch out ASAP and try something else.

[illicit]

  Khaz said:

They are nerds.

They have to be. With so many options re: computer things these days they have their set programs and they rarely deviate from their established status quo.

Undoubtedly they have spent much of their life around PCs, perhaps building and installing from scratch. If they're Linux-obsessed, it's probably to be different and to claim a mastery over the "hard-core" of an OS.

It's disgusting, really, to see some that take no care of their personal image. Stay away from those guys; if they don't care about their hygiene, then they don't care about proper code spacing, tabbing, or commenting.

Also, when dealing with them in group-work situations, you're going to have to break their balls to get them to do their work unless you really click with members. I had a roommate in CompSci who was forced to repeatedly phone and reprimand 2 of his 4 man group for slacking. He and his remaining loyal group member were distraught, stressed out, and overworked, and found no mercy with the professor. He claimed they should "just do what [they] can, and submit it before the deadline."

Be ready for:

-Heated debates over proper code spacing/Operating Systems/Processors

-Reformatting and partitioning a dual-boot system

-Learning Linux

-Swearing at linux

-Getting a rotten egg of a group

Be positive about:

-Learning from group members' mistakes, getting to know your classmates. It helps to find the other "leaders" of the groups and find out who did the best etc. Then you can make a supergroup and dominate the curve!

-Having fun making java applets, mini games, sorting algorithms

-Probably a few LAN games if you're interested in that thing

-Observing what stubbornness and closed-mindedness can do to productivity

And from experience, if your post secondary experience in the first year sucks, then switch out ASAP and try something else.

586822335[/snapback]

Well said, mate...

[Rudy]

i have to agree with you, im in my 4th year and i never really got allong with anyone from the program because they're all nerd (and lots of them stinky), but of course there's SOME people that are normal....just not too many

[Vista]

There are two reasons why I'm really thinking of doing law-school instead:

- Irritating people --> can't work together --> ****ed off + low grades

- Software engineering isn't what I expected. I expected it to be more fun. During that study try-out I almost fell asleep.

[Laurë Veteran]

Not all software engineers are nerds. I studied Computer Science at uni for a year and the majority of my fellow students were completely normal, intelligent guys who did take care of their apearance. Their conversations, as I remember, were a decent balance between being about uni work and social life/other stuff.

  HellBender said:

Yeah, that's one thing that wont change. On average, barely 25% of Microsoft is female, and that's significantly more than you'll find in your classes or in smaller companies. Sucks :(

586822157[/snapback]

When I was at uni I was surprised by the number of girls on the course.....but it's probably more to do with the high entry grades and the fact that girls are better at obtaining them than guys in the UK.

At sixth form, there were only three female A level Computing students out of at least 90. And I think one dropped the subject.

  Khaz said:

They are nerds.

...............

Also, when dealing with them in group-work situations, you're going to have to break their balls to get them to do their work unless you really click with members. I had a roommate in CompSci who was forced to repeatedly phone and reprimand 2 of his 4 man group for slacking. He and his remaining loyal group member were distraught, stressed out, and overworked, and found no mercy with the professor. He claimed they should "just do what [they] can, and submit it before the deadline."

..............

586822335[/snapback]

This is universal to all subjects.

[obiwong]

  Vista said:

I was wondering if there aren't any "normal" people that want to work as a software engineer. Do you have to be a real computernerd to become a software engineer?

586822057[/snapback]

you know i suppose from a "nerd's" point of view, you're the one that's not "normal"

[lnmnky]

  Obi Wong said:

you know i suppose from a "nerd's" point of view, you're the one that's not "normal"

586825210[/snapback]

(Y)

to starter:

the nerds probably aren't shallow enough to judge people on appearances, sense that you're doing exactly that, and are talking about "nerdy" stuff just so that you don't interact with them.

Or maybe you're the one with the social problem. Go and talk to them about "normal" stuff and see what they say.

Maybe they just talk about computers and stuff because that's the easiest thing to talk about with new people that are on a fricking computer course. duh.