Concerns

[Lucre]

Not just programming books. IMO, most academic textbooks are rubbish. They are boring and unengaging. The writer did not care about the reader enough.

I've read enough to know that technical books don't have to be boring. The authors who wrote those sleep-inducing academic textbooks just suck at writing.

aint sure, i didnt read an academic text to be 'thrilled' anyway, i just go look it up for answers....well at least i hope there are answers around somehow.

[chibidaisuke]

programming is seriously not my game. im glad i dont have to deal with it anymore.

i didnt have the passion to improve this skill of mine either. no its not even a skill, just a phase in life where i have to go through. eeek.

My lecturer said that programming is one of those few subjects where in order to progress to the next topic you'll have to fully and completely understand the topic learnt before that. Heck I'm already struggling with the more basic concepts atm yet I'm trying to learn the harder ones to keep track with everybody else. Sigh and I have no interest in it either and totally lack motivation to improve on it.

[Lucre]

My lecturer said that programming is one of those few subjects where in order to progress to the next topic you'll have to fully and completely understand the topic learnt before that. Heck I'm already struggling with the more basic concepts atm yet I'm trying to learn the harder ones to keep track with everybody else. Sigh and I have no interest in it either and totally lack motivation to improve on it.

for most other engineering students, programming is a pain in the btt side-dish to go through, they follow you throughout your years; but at least we don't have to go deeply into it. for for those who major in computers....the side-dish becomes main course, no wonder you're stressed.

poor darling!

[kidd]

Maybe you should change to marine biology like one of my fellow physics major.

[Ian Liew]

Two major concerns for me:-

Family - how my children's education will work in the initial years. My family doesn't speak Malay, Tamil or Mandarin at home, and yet those are the only options unless we pay through our nose for international or private schools. Mandarin is currently the place where my eldest will go to in a year or so, and hopefully he'll get the hang of things. We try to encourage him at home, but it's blatantly obvious none of us speak Mandarin voluntarily anyway.. we speak Canto and English at home.

Work - I've recently left my comfort zone and started something I've always wanted to do. The expenses are now a reality and significant, and the pressure is on to start generating income as soon as possible and make my dream pay. I'm sure I'll have no regrets in a year's time or so, but for now it's really really scary.

[kidd]

If Malay kids can speak fluent mandarin after joining Chinese school, I'm sure you son should have no problem.

[chibidaisuke]

I would rather do programming that trying to figure why the network won't work the way it's supposed to be after you set everything right and it works on one IP and not another and it works on 1 PC and not the other.

LOL for me they're just as bad as each other. Both time consuming and frustrating.

[Lucre]

LOL for me they're just as bad as each other. Both time consuming and frustrating.

i would and should stay clear of anything that reeks remotely of PROGRAMMING.

computers are too 'high-tech' for my head, and hence im still stuck in designing the mode of transportation that has existed since the days of Noah.

[mi do ri]

My family, no one knows how to compromise and understand or even try to especially the men. They are no role models for anyone and perhaps I suck for saying this, but I can't stand them much longer. I resent their mindset and their traditional mentality. Basically my concern is what comes next for a cracked (not entirely broken) family. At this rate, I'm surprised that I'm still sane.

[Lucre]

My family, no one knows how to compromise and understand or even try to especially the men. They are no role models for anyone and perhaps I suck for saying this, but I can't stand them much longer. I resent their mindset and their traditional mentality. Basically my concern is what comes next for a cracked (not entirely broken) family. At this rate, I'm surprised that I'm still sane.

Hugs =)

family problems dearie?

[chibidaisuke]

i would and should stay clear of anything that reeks remotely of PROGRAMMING.

computers are too 'high-tech' for my head, and hence im still stuck in designing the mode of transportation that has existed since the days of Noah.

Mmm now I wonder who between us two hates programming more LOL.

[Lucre]

Mmm now I wonder who between us two hates programming more LOL.

well hate is too strong a word for me.

but im aware im totally hopeless with such job, so its sensible to avoid it at all costs. =p

if you're stuck with it, theres all the more reason to hate it. i ain't.

[ByTmE]

My family, no one knows how to compromise and understand or even try to especially the men. They are no role models for anyone and perhaps I suck for saying this, but I can't stand them much longer. I resent their mindset and their traditional mentality. Basically my concern is what comes next for a cracked (not entirely broken) family. At this rate, I'm surprised that I'm still sane.

This sounds like how I feel. The way the people in the previous generation are...in addition, I'm starting to see the people that my cousins and brothers are growing up to be...I'm not having any children.

I hope that both of my siblings and all of my 30+ first cousins AND their future babies will be more successful than me. If not, then my relationship with them will only get crappier.

[PJ]

computers are too 'high-tech' for my head, and hence im still stuck in designing the mode of transportation that has existed since the days of Noah.

Programming is just giving clear, logical instructions that the other party (in this case, the machine) can understand. The concept has been around for a while.

[HuangYushi]

We try to encourage him at home, but it's blatantly obvious none of us speak Mandarin voluntarily anyway.. we speak Canto and English at home.

As discussed earlier, it's necessary that you make a concerted voluntary effort to speak some (simple) Mandarin at home and make sure that your son understands and can respond to whatever you say in Mandarin too. Every year, I have students with various language backgrounds (Canto+Eng, Tamil+Eng, Malay+Eng and Eng only) who struggle with Mandarin. Those who gain a functional knowledge of the language for academic use are those who are very determined/motivated (they want to learn for themselves) and those whose family members take pains to ensure that the children get sufficient exposure to Mandarin (through conversations at home, tutoring, etc).

On the other hand, there are kids who speak Mandarin at home all their lives and have no functional knowledge of the language for academic use, mainly because their parents feel that the ability to speak will lead to the ability to read/write/understand without further effort. Parents like these are a real pain, and it's really unfair to the kids, because they do poorly because of their parents' ignorance, apathy and "tidak-apa" attitude (after being told and thus, no longer ignorant).

I'm sure I'll have no regrets in a year's time or so, but for now it's really really scary.

Take care, work hard and hang on to the Lord's hand. You'll get through it.

If Malay kids can speak fluent mandarin after joining Chinese school, I'm sure you son should have no problem.

Unfortunately, the time period of learning to speak and the process of doing so also happens at the same time as a lot of new information and knowledge being imparted to the kids. The difference between the rate of learning to speak and the rate of learning to read/write/process new information in Math, Mandarin Language, Science and Moral Education is so great that unless a concerted effort is made to ensure all the new stuff is learnt, all the kids walk away with would only be the ability to speak.

I have many Malay parents who speak fluent Mandarin (courtesy of being in the Chinese school), but cannot even read a simple message written Mandarin by the time they get to their 30s. I also have Malay/Indian job applicants who can also speak fluent Mandarin but admit in their resumes that their Mandarin reading/writing ability is poor.

* * *

Back to Ian:

It's not that I want to make light of your concern for your son, or to brush aside kidd's encouraging words. I have seen kids suffer in Chinese school but I've also seen kids do well. With the right types and amount of support from the family, your son has a real chance of doing well. After all, he still has a year to go, and there is a lot that you/he can achieve in a year if you/he put your hearts to it.

Sincerely
HYS

[chibidaisuke]

well hate is too strong a word for me.

but im aware im totally hopeless with such job, so its sensible to avoid it at all costs. =p

if you're stuck with it, theres all the more reason to hate it. i ain't.

I can't describe how lucky you are. Can't wait till I finish this year and change my course to civil engineering and good riddance to programming. (At least for the most part)

[chibidaisuke]

Programming is just giving clear, logical instructions that the other party (in this case, the machine) can understand. The concept has been around for a while.

Have you done programming before? Did you find it easy?

[PJ]

Have you done programming before? Did you find it easy?

I do it for a living. Programming is easy; making sure it supports its bigger objective is harder.

[Ian Liew]

Unfortunately, the time period of learning to speak and the process of doing so also happens at the same time as a lot of new information and knowledge being imparted to the kids. The difference between the rate of learning to speak and the rate of learning to read/write/process new information in Math, Mandarin Language, Science and Moral Education is so great that unless a concerted effort is made to ensure all the new stuff is learnt, all the kids walk away with would only be the ability to speak.

That's pretty much the situation I faced when I was in school, only my problem was Bahasa Malaysia. I struggled with every subject which used Bahasa Malaysia as a medium, although I managed to (and still can) get by with the language (although my SPM P7 ensured that I could not advance to Form Six).

Yeah, we do have watch Mandarin programmes with him (he likes wuxia, so he's been watching a bit with me and I explain what's happening in a mix of Mandarin and English), but it's a struggle. More for me than him, really.

I wish our government didn't assume that every person in this country use either Malay, Mandarin or Tamil as a medium. We're not all UMNO, MCA or MIC people.

[mi do ri]

Hugs =)

family problems dearie?

Yes, and unfortunately it's a problem that goes away temporarily but never resolved.

This sounds like how I feel. The way the people in the previous generation are...in addition, I'm starting to see the people that my cousins and brothers are growing up to be...I'm not having any children.

I hope that both of my siblings and all of my 30+ first cousins AND their future babies will be more successful than me. If not, then my relationship with them will only get crappier.

Mmm. Is there a huge age gap between you and your siblings too? Cause there is with mine and I think that's why we see things very differently.