coding programs, worth it?

Well, I started coding a program to use the huffman compression to compress files/folders/etc.

I already got done with the class that will hold the actual compressed data. (starting to work on the tree "containers", then the sorting and then the tree maker, then prolly stitch it all together).

Are programs like this worth putting on my resume when I graduate? (finished 2 years already, 2 more to go :))

NOTE: This program is not supposed to rival WinZip or WinRar or anything (but if it does a better job, I am sure nobody will complain ^^). I am writing this program to "learn" about compression (later on, I want to do something with encryption).

Any questions/thoughts/complaints/suggestions/etc welcome :)

Well it's worth it if you don't have anything else to put there. :)

The more helpful thing to include on your resume would be "experience with compression algorithms" rather than "wrote a winzip clone for a class". By the time you graduate, it won't be the individual programs you or potential employers will care about, but your overall ability to program.

actually, this isn't a winzip clone and not for a class.

I learned about the huffman algorithm and just want to code my own compression/decompression tool.

you can write something along the lines of "extension knowledge about ....."

but terms of how useful that will be, i'd say probably not. in most programming related jobs, they will give you training to guide you in the direction of your work. you won't be dunked into the company and asked to program at will. while this type of knowledge is great, it probably won't serve a whole lot of use to you in the actual workforce.

nevertheless, i think it's a great project to start during the summer.

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Originally Posted by Bootleg

but terms of how useful that will be, i'd say probably not. in most programming related jobs, they will give you training to guide you in the direction of your work. you won't be dunked into the company and asked to program at will. while this type of knowledge is great, it probably won't serve a whole lot of use to you in the actual workforce.

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Well that depends, it shows that a person has some knowledge of algorithms, and can implement them.

It's better for interviews than for resumes. I was surprised how often I got asked dumb questions in interviews out of college. Things like if I understood how a for loop worked. I wonder what they were thinking I was doing in school for 4 years*? Anyways, being able to discuss more advanced things you've done can help.






*Amazingly, some people get out of college with a CS degree without major skills. In college, I was one of 10 students selected out of over 30 applicants to interview for a position. I was asked 3 specific computer questions in this interview. Of the 10 students, I was the only one to get all 3 correct. Even worse, they had been to several other universities and I was the only one in total to get them all correct. Here's the 3 questions, you'll be amazed at how easy they are:

1. If you wanted to read and write to a file in C/C++, how might one go about doing this?

2. What are the basic commands for directory navigation in Unix? Say I wanted to list a directory, change to a directory, etc.

3. If I had some table in a database, M, what SQL command would I run if I wanted to see all of the data in the table?

Experience rules supreme on your resume. If you can show that you had a good co-op experience and a reference from that company, it will be more likely to land you a job. Programming has changed dramatically and employers are looking for someone that is a good team player and a potential leader. In the current market, very few can take being a programmer for more than a couple years so a well rounded co-op, business sence, and personality are very important. Compression application is something to mention in an interview, but will only be a side bar.

1 and 2 are easy ... but 3 gives some trouble since I am only about to take a databases class ...

I could access the db in Perl and then print it prolly.

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Originally Posted by Zoma

It's better for interviews than for resumes. I was surprised how often I got asked dumb questions in interviews out of college. Things like if I understood how a for loop worked. I wonder what they were thinking I was doing in school for 4 years*? Anyways, being able to discuss more advanced things you've done can help.






*Amazingly, some people get out of college with a CS degree without major skills. In college, I was one of 10 students selected out of over 30 applicants to interview for a position. I was asked 3 specific computer questions in this interview. Of the 10 students, I was the only one to get all 3 correct. Even worse, they had been to several other universities and I was the only one in total to get them all correct. Here's the 3 questions, you'll be amazed at how easy they are:

1. If you wanted to read and write to a file in C/C++, how might one go about doing this?

2. What are the basic commands for directory navigation in Unix? Say I wanted to list a directory, change to a directory, etc.

3. If I had some table in a database, M, what SQL command would I run if I wanted to see all of the data in the table?

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I'm a software engineering student. Currently, I'm on co-op doing some database development for the government. However, in my spare time I'm writing my own compiler and interpreter package similar to Java. People here have a point. Talking about your projects really do help with the "wow" factor at interviews. Of course, you have to know all the other basics first, and the rest is just icing on the cake.

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Originally Posted by Zoma

1. If you wanted to read and write to a file in C/C++, how might one go about doing this?

2. What are the basic commands for directory navigation in Unix? Say I wanted to list a directory, change to a directory, etc.

3. If I had some table in a database, M, what SQL command would I run if I wanted to see all of the data in the table?

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As an Engineer at graduation, I could only have answered #2 (I could do #1 in Fortran, though). But after being in the software field for 5 years, these are trivial. This is why you'll often see "or related field" in the degree requirements, but some number of years of experience is required.

The trick is getting experience when you don't have any experience :p

as -an engineer, I would not expect you to answer any of those. but for comp. sci. those are almost a must.

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Originally Posted by rock

As an Engineer at graduation, I could only have answered #2 (I could do #1 in Fortran, though). But after being in the software field for 5 years, these are trivial. This is why you'll often see "or related field" in the degree requirements, but some number of years of experience is required.

The trick is getting experience when you don't have any experience :p

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by rock

As an Engineer at graduation, I could only have answered #2 (I could do #1 in Fortran, though). But after being in the software field for 5 years, these are trivial. This is why you'll often see "or related field" in the degree requirements, but some number of years of experience is required.

The trick is getting experience when you don't have any experience :p

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I agree. When I graduated, I could probably answer 1 easily and maybe 2. Now that I'm experienced, I can easily answer all three with hesitation.

About experience, I would recommend a school with a least 3 quarters or 2 semesters of co-op. I didn't pick a college that had mandatory co-op and I can tell a difference between myself and my brother. His college required 3 quarters of co-op and how got to experience setting up a planetarium in Mexico City as well as working with Lockheed Martin with their flight simulators. Due to his co-op experience, he's gotten offers to work with defense contractors on the joint strike fighters defense systems.

Well it definitely wont hurt. I've been to a couple places that were quite pleased I brought a CD with some code samples for them (after the interview of course)

well, when I am done with this project, hopefully, I will learn enough to write my own "IP to IP" messaging program ... maybe with encryption.

for these 2 projects, main idea is to learn to implement/use the 3 of the following:
1. compression algorithm (I am also thinking of doing a project with arithmetic encoding)
2. Networking in C/C++
3. Encryption (which might be a bit out of reach for me since it's a aster's level course).

I also want to do some OGL stuff.

I'm very impressed with some of y'all's "pet projects". Very impressed. And I truely hope that they help you gain employment when you reach that point in your education/career.

thx for the warm words :)

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Originally Posted by Galen of Edgewood

I'm very impressed with some of y'all's "pet projects". Very impressed. And I truely hope that they help you gain employment when you reach that point in your education/career.

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