英文專業的做計算機編程比計算機專業的好？

接著“中年IT人的困惑”討論。

網友“苦瓜”說：
“第一點：文科生編程。樓主的感覺有些委屈，也有些底氣不足，好像不夠科班，先天不足。其實這是錯誤的說法。年初讀過一篇文章，說的就是文科生編程的優勢。編程實際上是個表達溝通的活兒，特別是高級語言的編程，沒有深厚的文字交流水平，很難勝任。寫文章的人說，見過的優秀編程人員都是英文專業畢業的，寫文章這人是個美國人，若是咱中國人，結論恐怕就是最優秀的編程人員都是中文專業的了。這話相當有道理。功夫在程序外。樓主的中英文文字表達都相當出色，估計這也是多年來公司一再裁人，樓主穩坐編程位置的原因。往前看，您比我們都有優勢，這行業隻要還存在，您就是最優秀的那一類。別看其他人抖機靈，程序也是日久見功夫。您就安心往前走吧。

第二點：印度兄弟跟我們一樣來自泱泱大國，都是有特殊基因的個體，剝削人的時候自己都沒感覺，還以為是拉兄弟一把呢。自己千萬保護自己，他不知道心疼你，你自己得知道。該反就反，誰怕誰。當年俺們那印度老板ceo，嘮嘮叨叨跟俺談話，說些俺不加班之類的鬼話，俺也就站起來衝他拍了幾下桌子走人了。那是經濟蕭條的02年，他以為自己是上帝呢，給人提供了生存的機會。而且，隻要有人帶頭走，這傳染病就算發作了。俺走之後，公司接二連三走了好多人。咱背井離鄉的來的是美國，不是去台北、奔孟買，要用美國的生活標準要求自己。咱不慣他那毛病。”

俺特同意苦瓜MM的第二點，可是不同意她的第一點。下麵是我的觀點：

I think people differ from their abilities most not by training but by genetic. Engineering and computer programming require clear logical thinking and analytical skills while literature does more on creative thinking side. That doesn't say a person of English major can not have clear logical sense.

The article below only prove a person with clear logical thinking and know how to communicate well could be good software programmers regardless one's training.

In ideal cases, people choose their major because they like it or have passion about it. In not so perfect cases people choose a major as a way of earning a living. 樓主 mentioned that he doesn't not like or enjoy programming. That makes him for ever a ok computer programmer even he has master degree on CS.

I do agree that 樓主 made a good choice to stay in his current field as all he wants is a relatively easy job with good pay. What could be better than staying with a well paid job you already know how to do it, regardless you like it or not!

BTW, another good job would be a tech writer that requires good writing (communication) skill and some technical knowlegde.

並附那美國人的文章：

English as a First Language
---------------------------
、、、、、

I've found that some of the best developers of all are English majors. They'll often graduate with no programming experience at all, and certainly without a clue about the difference between DRAM and EPROM.

But they can write. That's the art of conveying information concisely and clearly. Software development and writing are both the art of knowing what you're going to do, and then lucidly expressing your ideas.

The worst developers, regardless of background, fail due to their inability to be clear. Their thoughts and code tend to ramble rather than zero-in on the goal.

It's easier to train someone in a new language than to teach them to think clearly. C really isn't that hard to learn; it has but a handful of constructs. Most folks can learn the fundamentals quickly.
Debugging takes longer, but all new programmers find themselves at sea when first faced with bugs.

Too many engineering-trained developers have a total disregard for stylistic issues in programming. Anything goes. Firmware is the most expensive thing in the universe, so it makes sense to craft it carefully and in accordance with a standard style guide. Make sure it clearly communicates its intent. This is where the English majors shine; they've spent 4 years learning everything there is to know about styles and communication.

、、、、、

[wenjuyuan]

My comments on your English come from my professional habits and I do not mean to mock at you.

你的中文比我的好，上邊的兩段極其精鏈，有條不紊，一針見血，看似平鋪直敘，卻字斟句酌，鋒芒閃爍， 不施雕飾，宛然天成，足見功力。
順便補充一點，好像是印度人說的，印度語是編成優勢。當然，印度人還說過很多他們的優勢。

[laoyangdelp]

回複wenjuyuan的評論:
My Chinese is not good either. 嗬嗬.

[wenjuyuan]

On the other hand, if you are a computer science major or math major, you are probably not a very good one either, as your English is indeed illogical in many ways.
I agree that a language major is not necessarily superior in learing to program, but a good language major is just as logical as any math or program major can be.

[wenjuyuan]

To aoyangdelp: you are probably not an English major, or you are, but not a very good one:) Your English says it all.

[laoyangdelp]

回複watchwater的評論:
這裏沒有誰在攀比.隻是討論一個觀點而已.

[laoyangdelp]

回複ytwadk的評論:
謝謝啊,用中文將我上麵英文的主要意思準確地表達出來了.

"是否適合做軟件開發，關鍵在於個人是否有邏輯思維能力，具有邏輯思維能力，做軟件開發有很大優勢，而邏輯思維的開發，通常是愛好數學的所特有的，通過學文學能被訓練出這種思維的不多。也許有特例。一個人如果愛好，那就不太可能擅長數學。這可能也是你以前提到的那個中年人的弱項。"

[summer_rose]

任何事情都不是絕對的,不好一概而論。

[老虎兄弟]

一般學英文的編程能力不如計算機專業出身的，所以也不做編程的工作。但是如果遇到一個學英文而又搞編程去了，那他肯定是高手，這樣的人我見過。

[窮酸]

搞語言的學計算機也不容易，頂一下。

[ytwadk]

缺兩個字，一個人如果愛好文學，那就不太可能擅長數學。

你不能說你是文學專業出身， 現在從事軟件開發，小有成就，就說這個專業有編程優勢，我也碰到過學文科的學CS最後學不下去的。 比爾蓋茨沒大學畢業， 創建了微軟，但不能說一切沒有大學畢業的人都適合創建軟件公司。

無論誰說文學專業有搞編程的優勢，如果你擅長邏輯分析，按照這個邏輯推下去，你就會得出相反的結論。

[ytwadk]

英文專業的編程能力強，那為什麽招工廣告都是要計算機專業背景的？我個人認為是否適合做軟件開發，關鍵在於個人是否有邏輯思維能力，具有邏輯思維能力，做軟件開發有很大優勢，而邏輯思維的開發，通常是愛好數學的所特有的， 通過學文學能被訓練出這種思維的不多。也許有特例。一個人如果愛好，那就不太可能擅長數學。這可能也是你以前提到的那個中年人的弱項。

[watchwater]

攀比是不自信的表現。