Undergraduation
21 hours ago
- To become a good hacker, focus on programming a lot on hard problems and work on engaging projects, not necessarily class assignments.
- Learn from other skilled programmers and professors by volunteering as a research assistant, but avoid those working on uninteresting topics.
- Math is not strictly necessary for most hacking but is valuable for metaphors; study math for its own sake beyond high school level.
- Worthwhile fields to study include math, hard sciences, engineering, history, architecture, and classics; avoid social sciences, philosophy, and politically motivated departments.
- For jobs, learn practical skills: for big companies, hack Blub on Windows; for startups, learn Ruby on Linux; to start your own company, master powerful tools.
- Classes differ from real-world programming: they are small, start from scratch, and have predetermined problems; contribute to open-source or start your own projects to gain real skills.
- Grad school is mixed: it involves a painful dissertation but offers smart peers and a baseline confidence; admissions rely heavily on recommendations from professors who know you.
- The key to success in college is to figure out what you truly love and pursue it genuinely, as faking stops working after college.