

Hollywood Spurs Surge in Computer Science Majors - clp16
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/11/technology/11computing.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Will people actually stick with it this time around, even if it blows up, or will is CS just a fad all over again?
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yespauls
Are hollywood movies really motivating career decisions? I like Pirates of the
Caribbean, but Im not about to start a career as a privateer. Im thrilled that
enrollment in CS classes are finally increasing, but I temper my excitement
when I hear the example Ms Fong. Some advise for all new CS students: don't
pursue a degree in CS because its glamorous, but because you enjoy programming
and problem solving. Life is too short to do something you do not enjoy.

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aduric
"Are hollywood movies really motivating career decisions?"

You bet. When Top Gun came out, enrolment in the Navy and Air Force increased
substantially. Wall Street in part fuelled the popularity in a career in
finance and I'm willing to bet that Rounders was used in part to justify being
a professional poker player for many people.

Also, I'm pretty sure that Blade Runner (at least subconsciously) contributed
towards me going back to school and getting a masters in machine learning.

