Thread: Science vs Engineering

You guys (programmers) probably know how to answer this...Which carrer has a better future, computer science or computer engineering?....

In my opinion, in computer enginnering, you learn more, since you also deal with the hardware part, and the electronics. On the other hand, computer science only focusses on the software part...

so, what are the pros and cons??
Thanks.

Personally I decided to go for a dual degree Electrical Engineering AND Computer and Systems Engineering.
At my school the dual major was only an extra 4 credits, over either of the engineering or comp sci majors.
I am going to minor in comp sci, because i love taking programming and theory courses as my free electives.

CSE and EE have a very broad field, just look around you now, and your home, and look at how many things have electronics inside of them.

Comp Sci is a good field to get into as well, but i personally wanted to get more involved with hardware and embedded control/ robotics, so I chose Engineering.

Oh and a small fact I learned is that only 5% of ALL processors made go into computers, the rest are used in embedded systems, new car systems have dozens of cpu's implanted into them, so there is alot of room for engineers

People love to talk about the "theoretical hardware limit" that is supposedly going to be "reached".

Total tripe. While silicon based computing may be reaching its limits due to the limitations of silicon, there are TONS of other elements that have far superior properties, they're simply more difficult to use. Hardware engineering has some beautiful challenges ahead of it in attempting to utilize these other elements (IBM is charging ahead of the pack in this area).

Since most of the components of circuits depend on the processors that do the thinking, there will be huge challenges and potential for advancement when these new species of processors become available. Never underestimate the human ability for adaptability and innovation. If silicon's usefulness ends, we'll find a way to make something else useful. The jobs will never end.

But I do agree that it's limiting to choose ONLY software engineering or ONLY hardware engineering... to do either you need to know something about both. The dual degree, while pretty tough, is well worth it if that is the field you want to go into.

John Carmack (Doom) may be writing a game engine in software, but he knows damn well the hardware capabilities and requirements of the graphics cards he's writing the engine for.