Talk:Open Source Degree Confirmation

I think that giving "Ph.D. " for open-source Minesweeper implementation is somewhat wrong. I think, projects should be ranked on their complexity. Granting "Ph.D." for writing new POSIX OS is OK with me :) DarkFighter 23:44, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

To my opinion, the point of view expressed in this article is a little bit simplistic and reductionist. Industry is looking for candidates having both a degree AND practical experience. Obtaining a degree is not only a question of writing code, it is also a question of having a general view of the domain that is studied, being able to present new projects to an audience and so on. Contributing to open source projects is a great way to learn in "real life conditions" and should be further encouraged in schools and universities but the universities still play an important role which is recognized by the industry. Vinsz October 28

The views expressed on this page are very subjective. I also think they are very wrong. While completing an open source project is a notable accomplishment, it is on the scale of earning a credit for a university-level software engineering course. Completing a graduate degree signifies that a person is capable of significant quality research, and this is not necessarily the case (and often not) in software development. To suggest that doing the majority of one project entitles one to something equivalent to a Ph.D. is not only insulting to those who have completed one, but it would likely damage the person's credibility. For any doubters, consider that Linus Torvalds, the developer of the Linux kernel and hero to many in the open source community, created Linux as only one portion of his Master's degree. Creating software does not entitle you to a graduate degree. Boardinbob December 1

Degrees at Wikiversity?
Please see Creation of Free Online University. The Jade Knight 19:47, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

Where's the math?
Programming is nice, but Computer Science is a branch of mathematics. The fact that someone can make their own sourceforge project that's successful and well programmed does not in any way indicate that they have a deep knowledge of algorithms, data structures, computation theory, and discrete mathematics. With the prevelence of sophisticated, versitile libraries and programming environments, individuals almost entirely ignorant of the mathematical underpinnings of CS can create powerful and well-performing applications in many domains. I may be "old fashioned" but I believe that anyone of significant mathematical intelligence can pick up a compiler and start hacking. It takes a more rigorous set of exercises and readings for one to be considered a "computer scientist." - JustinWick 02:51, 6 December 2006 (UTC)