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In two weeks I'd have a math test. I paid dearly for it and if I don't pass the test I'll pay dearly again.
And I'm hating math so much that I don't even care about the money anymore... I'm just not doing any more math and I'm certainly not doing the test! 
I don't think I have to know math to be a good (or even great) developer.
I do need to know math to get my degree though, so I've decided to do things a little different from what I've been doing...
To like and understand math I'm going to blog about it.
That's right, I'm going to face math, look it in the uhhh... pi, and write it down for myself and others.
And by doing so I hope I'll start liking it as I have the freedom to figure it all out at my own pace and write about the things I like about it.
And then maybe I can have another look at that math test in a year or so.
I'm a bit concerned about LaTeX though (never used it before).
WordPress does have out of the box LaTeX support, but does anyone know a good and free LaTeX editor plugin?
I'm not looking forward to looking up all those character codes to write a single formula... 
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What is a LaTeX editor plugin supposed to do anyway? It's typically just edited as plaintext, maybe some syntax highlighting if you want to be fancy..
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harold aptroot wrote: What is a LaTeX editor plugin supposed to do anyway? It's typically just edited as plaintext
Maybe make it so that I don't have to edit it as plain text?
Kind of like an HTML editor, so you don't have to type your own markup?
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Sander Rossel wrote: I don't think I have to know math to be a good (or even great) developer.
Depending on the field you are in... if you are developing 3D games or you are in the robotics field it is more than possible you'll need math. In a lot of other cases, though, they are not needed at all...
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Joan Murt wrote: In a lot of other cases, though, they are not needed at all
I'm in that lot 
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You are lucky then...
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Or writing stock applications, or writing software for spacecraft/launch vehicles/cars/real things particularly with accelerometers.
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Nevertheless mathematics can be fascinating.
I'll read your blog about it with pleasure. Unfortunately, I can't help for the LaTex-plugin thing :s
I never finish anyth
modified 28-Oct-15 17:47pm.
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phil.o wrote: Nevertheless mathematics can be facinating.
Funny thing, but I agree
phil.o wrote: I'll read your blog about it with pleasure
Thanks! 
I'm hoping to start soon. I'll keep it simple so even I can understand it 
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phil.o wrote: Nevertheless mathematics can be fascinating.
For me, it is a great spectator sport.
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.
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A brain sport, then. Why not 
I never finish anyth
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If you develope CRUD in any of its forms, or plain web applications, or just another UI I agree with you.
Enter in robotics, movement, predictions, big data analysis, operating systems, chemical reaction control plants, scientific environments, telecommunications control, signal analysis, 3D, CAD, CAM, nuclear plants... and without math you're basically nothing.
It all depends on the field, I know many programmers who don't need math - I lurk on the other side, despite my knowledge of math is not what I expect from myself.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
"When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page." -- Mike Hankey
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den2k88 wrote: Enter in robotics, movement, predictions, big data analysis, operating systems, chemical reaction control plants, scientific environments, telecommunications control, signal analysis, 3D, CAD, CAM, nuclear plants... and without math you're basically nothing.
Yeah, I'm not doing those 
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Then you're perfectly fine I like and study Engineering because it is way more broad than simple Computer Science - some of my classmates are doing Mechanics or Electronics despite having stuided Computer Engineering, while my boss is a Material Engineer but does program since 13 years (and he programs much better than the other two developers, bot CS graduates).
I dislike web developement, .NET, Java, interpreted languages, non typed languages and many flashy things that attracts many people, and prefer the hard & tough path
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
"When you have eliminated the JavaScript, whatever remains must be an empty page." -- Mike Hankey
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Don't think that is true. The company I work in we require people that do math to do certain work. We use the people that are good at maths to do that type of work. But the rest (even if they can do math, and all of them can) doesn't get used to do it. The result is that they loose there maths knowledge (maybe easyish to learn it again), because they don't use it. In my working environment it is only small areas of projects which requires some mathematicians.
"Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show their absence."
<< please vote!! >></div>
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You need to be math heavy if you move into data mining or artificial intelligence; which is computer science. Organizations like Google, MSFT, and Apple don't hire undergrads, they look for PhDs with a combination of math can computer science.
Don't know about LaTex, except you should not use lube with them. I'm old and used to have to look up those symbols in PowerPoint.
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jgakenhe wrote: Organizations like Google, MSFT, and Apple don't hire undergrads, they look for PhDs with a combination of math can computer science.
Not sure where you got this idea, but it's certainly not true. I know experienced developers who work(ed) for both companies who couldn't count to 10 with their shoes off.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I read it. I read it many times in online articles. You want to be in AI or some analytical department where the big money is, you're going to need a PhD or MS with a bunch of certs. You want to be a QA or junior to mid developer, a B.S. is enough.
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Kevin Marois wrote: couldn't count to 10 with their shoes off
I'm sure they got cold feet!
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Kevin Marois wrote: couldn't count to 10 with their shoes off.
Arithmetic != Maths.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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Yeah, I reckon math (and a degree) can really help your career.
Although it's not really the programming that requires math, it's the ultimate application that needs it.
It's a bit lame to say, but non-mathy people could probably write very complex mathematical systems if some mathematician did the math for them
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I'm not mad keen on maths; the last time I did anything that amounted to more than simple arithmetic/basic maths was in a previous century. I can't be certain it was the 20th.
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R. Giskard Reventlov wrote: in a previous century. I can't be certain it was the 20th.
You're either really old or really bad at math
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Ha: that made me think of this[^].
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There can be only one (if only math were that simple)! 
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