Our High School Program isn't that great... Mostly I just like to learn stuff on my own. I started programming about a year and 9 months ago on a Casio Graphing Calculator. I taught myself how to do that by entering in 10000's of lines of code by hand. You can see how you would pick up a few things on the way. After that I found a java-script tutorial and learned that in about a week. I still knew nothing of structure but I could code some things. So when my Sophmore year came around and they gave me a book on TurboPascal (CompSci 1) I spent about a week unlearning goto and other bad habits. Within a month I had finished the book and gone on to C++. This summer I landed a programming intership at a Research Lab at the University of Texas. Right now I am upgrading a big java project for them (AWT to Swing). I just enjoy going ahead, and the schools can't keep up.

Edited by - NeRo on July 27, 2000 6:14:02 PM

I have a BS in both Math & Comp Sci. When taking computer science, you usually end up only a few credits/courses short of a math degree, so when going to college I would keep that in mind. A double degree looks good and, in this case, isn''t much extra work.

For game programming, you''ll want a good handle on discrete mathematics, linear algebra, & trig. Further, calculus can prove useful. More general & theoretical topics won''t (or may not) be as directly applicable-- topics like abstract algebra (and Galois theory), real analysis, and general topology.

You may want to look at some text books for computer graphics that contain a good amount of math in them. When I was in college, I used the book "COMPUTER GRAPHICS" by F.S. Hill Jr.

I just checked Amazon.com and they have it-- plus, he''s just written a new book (Mar 15, 2000) for computer graphics with OpenGL (think I''ll buy that one!) Here''s the links:

Computer Graphics, F. S. Hill Jr
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0023548606/qid=964734091/sr=1-2/103-3675240-7605441

Computer Graphics Using OpenGL, F. S. Hill Jr
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0023548568/qid=964734091/sr=1-3/103-3675240-7605441


Also, a good tip-- save your textbooks when you''re done. Don''t sell them back as used if you can help it. You''ll appreciate it later when you can go back to a familiar book to look things up.

// CHRIS

quote: Original post by NeRo

Our High School Program isn''t that great... Mostly I just like to learn stuff on my own.



Right now I am upgrading a big java project for them (AWT to Swing). I just enjoy going ahead, and the schools can''t keep up.

Edited by - NeRo on July 27, 2000 6:14:02 PM

I never did much in the way of algorithms in high-school. I did one sort... and some ADTs... but that''s it. But learning stuff on your own is great. That''s how I do a lot of what I do. Never lose the will to learn, because it''s one of the most important things one can have, IMHO.

You''re working with Java? Great. I love the language, personally (though not as much as Lisp/Scheme). Take in good OOP technique. It will serve you well later.

Thanks!

School starts in a week (IT SUX DONT IT), so I will talk to my teacher then.
----I gosta hook me up wit da Linear Algebra! LoL!

-Sean

No math will hinder your programming abilities...


Mike