[ILUG] Computer science education

[fuzzbucket]

Niall O Broin wrote:

>  I just read this http://tardis.linux.ie/2030/developers.slashdot.org
>  and I was shocked at the idea of CS students NOT learning assembly
>  language. Now it has to be said that it was last century (I won't be
>  more specific) when I was in college and my first programming was
>  hand assembled 6800 but then I'm an engineer - not a nancy computer
>  scientist. But nancy or not, computer scientists learnt assembly
>  languages for various processor, and wrote compilers.
>
>  Don't they do that any more ? Does a computer science course now
>  consist solely of Microsoft training modules ?
>
>  Say it isn't so . . .
>
>
I first got into computing with my ZX Spectrum and dabbling with
assembly was almost mandatory. Unfortunately I cannot give any
perspective on current third level education inclusion as through some
poor choices I didn't take that opportunity when it arose.
The thing is I hope to fill this knowledge gap by going to college (as
soon as I am able to drag myself away from this damn IRC client) and I
sincerely hope that low level systems programming and compiler design
are part of the curriculum when (if *cough) I do.