Get certified, is it worth the cost?

[davidy22]

Bah, maybe you could modify the isPrime function to take the array as a parameter? To test every possible number leading up to the num variable, seems a little wasteful. I'll think over it some more.

You can use += with strings? Shweet.

The basic details are:
1. Check to see if the array is ordered. Length doesn't matter.
2. If the array isn't in order, completely randomize the order of the array elements.
3. Return to step 1 until the array is sorted.

The world's most inefficient sorting algorithm. That website does alot of lulz-worthy pieces like that.



EDIT: You haven't covered big O notation? It's basically something programmers use to approximate how efficient an algorithm is. You suppose the maximum inputs for all loops is n, and trace the program with that assumption in mind.

[TimerClock14]

Bah, maybe you could modify the isPrime function to take the array as a parameter? To test every possible number leading up to the num variable, seems a little wasteful. I'll think over it some more.

Yeah. I think it's pretty good as it is now, but you are right that it does seem a bit wasteful in hindsight now.

You can use += with strings? Shweet.

Yup.

The basic details are:
1. Check to see if the array is ordered. Length doesn't matter.
2. If the array isn't in order, completely randomize the order of the array elements.
3. Return to step 1 until the array is sorted.

The world's most inefficient sorting algorithm. That website does alot of lulz-worthy pieces like that.

LOL!

EDIT: You haven't covered big O notation? It's basically something programmers use to approximate how efficient an algorithm is. You suppose the maximum inputs for all loops is n, and trace the program with that assumption in mind.

At this point, I'm 100% self-taught for everything I know about programming. With the occasional references provided by W3Schools. Anything that would be taught as an additional thing in a classroom I probably don't know.

[Scaredgirl]

I my experience, certifications like that are pretty useless. Employers are much more interested in what you have actually done and what kind of degrees you have. If you have some complex and awesome code to show to the potential employer, it will beat any certificates any day of the week.

I personally would spend that time coding and spend that cash on a book or something. Ice-cream is other option.

[artimies7]

I just noticed this thread. I've got a bit of Java under my collar, but not much. (Think two weekends with a textbook.) I can only run a bit of question&answer with popup windows, so this is pretty high-level stuff to me.

But that's not important. My opinion: Certification = Yes. Always good to have it say on your resume/website 'Certified Java programmer with X years of focused experience."

EDIT: Nice name, davidy22. Spoken with pure programming evil.

Javascript is different from java. Java runs on a bytecode interpreter, and needs to be compiled. Javascript runs inside a browser and needs no compile. Javascript also tends to run much slower than java, because of the browser overhead and the need to parse in real-time.

A certification certainly helps, but isn't necessary to get a job in programming. Many firms will want to personally test your aptitude with programming problems. In those cases, practice and prior experience are needed. They may also want to see what past work you have done, thus my suggestion to work on summer of code. Helping an existing project, logging all the code you write, will contribute to that portfolio. A certification may help you get past the initial screening though.

Naming my variable that is probably poor programming practice, but I'm probably never going to touch it again and it makes for a good joke.

I like jokes. The rest all went over my head with a whistle.

On another note, good point, Scaredgirl. I'm going to stop making myself look stupid here now and get some ice cream.

[UTAlan]

I my experience, certifications like that are pretty useless. Employers are much more interested in what you have actually done and what kind of degrees you have. If you have some complex and awesome code to show to the potential employer, it will beat any certificates any day of the week.

I personally would spend that time coding and spend that cash on a book or something. Ice-cream is other option.

I completely agree with this entire post. Especially the ice cream. You should only ever pay for a certification if it is guaranteed to pay for itself (i.e. you will get a job as a direct result of getting the certification). Outside of that, very few employers care about certifications.

[artimies7]

I my experience, certifications like that are pretty useless. Employers are much more interested in what you have actually done and what kind of degrees you have. If you have some complex and awesome code to show to the potential employer, it will beat any certificates any day of the week.

I personally would spend that time coding and spend that cash on a book or something. Ice-cream is other option.

I completely agree with this entire post. Especially the ice cream. You should only ever pay for a certification if it is guaranteed to pay for itself (i.e. you will get a job as a direct result of getting the certification). Outside of that, very few employers care about certifications.

That's what I was thinking. Obviously I'm not thinking enough lately.

[davidy22]

This should do it. I rewrote the prime finder code, lumping all the functions into one :

Code: [Select]

function findGreatestprimeFactor(number) {
    var squareRoot = Math.sqrt(number)
    var primeFactors = new array()
    //See if i is a factor of number
    for (i=2,i<squareRoot,i++) {
        if ((number % i) != 0){
            continue;
        }
        else {
            //Check if i is prime
            for (j=0,j<primeFactors.length,j++) {
                if (i % primeFactors[j] == 0) {
                    break;
                }
                else if (j == primeFactors.length) {
                    //If i isn't divisible by all smaller primes, it's prime.
                    primeFactors.push(i);
                }
            }
        }
    }
    if (primeFactors.length == 0) {
        return "YOU SUCK";
    }
    else {
        return primeFactors[primeFactors.length - 1];
    }
}Slightly obfuscated, there may be errors.

I completely agree with this entire post. Especially the ice cream. You should only ever pay for a certification if it is guaranteed to pay for itself (i.e. you will get a job as a direct result of getting the certification). Outside of that, very few employers care about certifications.

That's what I was thinking. Obviously I'm not thinking enough lately.

I thought you said a certification was always good? They are useful in a few cases, but only when the employer is inundated with resumes and need to thin down the crowd in some arbitrary way.

Awesome comic I found:

[TimerClock14]

This should do it. I rewrote the prime finder code, lumping all the functions into one :

Code: [Select]

function findGreatestprimeFactor(number) {
    var squareRoot = Math.sqrt(number)
    var primeFactors = new array()
    //See if i is a factor of number
    for (i=2,i<squareRoot,i++) {
        if ((number % i) != 0){
            continue;
        }
        else {
            //Check if i is prime
            for (j=0,j<primeFactors.length,j++) {
                if (i % primeFactors[j] == 0) {
                    break;
                }
                else if (j == primeFactors.length) {
                    //If i isn't divisible by all smaller primes, it's prime.
                    primeFactors.push(i);
                }
            }
        }
    }
    if (primeFactors.length == 0) {
        return "YOU SUCK"; //lol
    }
    else {
        return primeFactors[primeFactors.length - 1];
    }
}Slightly obfuscated, there may be errors.

I completely agree with this entire post. Especially the ice cream. You should only ever pay for a certification if it is guaranteed to pay for itself (i.e. you will get a job as a direct result of getting the certification). Outside of that, very few employers care about certifications.

That's what I was thinking. Obviously I'm not thinking enough lately.

I thought you said a certification was always good? They are useful in a few cases, but only when the employer is inundated with resumes and need to thin down the crowd in some arbitrary way.

Awesome comic I found:

LOL!

[artimies7]

I completely agree with this entire post. Especially the ice cream. You should only ever pay for a certification if it is guaranteed to pay for itself (i.e. you will get a job as a direct result of getting the certification). Outside of that, very few employers care about certifications.

That's what I was thinking. Obviously I'm not thinking enough lately.

I thought you said a certification was always good? They are useful in a few cases, but only when the employer is inundated with resumes and need to thin down the crowd in some arbitrary way.

Awesome comic I found:

I have the book for this comic. It cracks me up every time.

And it's always good when you need it. It's also almost never bad.
So I'm contradictory, so sue me.

[DesiredNinja]

i took a class that focused mostly on html and css but it touched up on a little javascript, im more into the game design stuff though so the js i use when making games in unity3d is either self tought or i learned from unities scripting references page (im not all that great with js so please dont test me ik how to make a madlib and different types of popups on a webpage and a few things in unity and thats about it) imho if u have the money for it you may as well get the certification as it may be of use later but if not dont go out of ur way for it