TOPICS IN COMPUTING DISCIPLINES

WEEK 2

This week covered the computing disciplines which are: Computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information systems, cognitive science.



Computer Science 

CS is the scientific and practical approach to computation and its applications. Related topics are:

• Algorithms and data structures
• Artificial intelligence
• Communications and Security`
• Computer architecture
• Computer graphics
• Concurrent, parallel, and distributed systems
• Databases
• Programming languages and compilers
• Scientific computing
• Software engineering
• Theory of computation

Computer Engineering 

Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, test, and oversee the installation of computer hardware and supervise its manufacture and installation. 
Hardware refers to computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related equipment such as keyboards, modems, and printers

Software Engineering 

Focuses on large-scale software systems; employs certain ideas from the world of engineering in building reliable software systems.Various kinds of software like software for operating systems and network distribution, and compilers, which convert programs for execution on a computer, are developed by a software engineer.Software engineering is the elite version of IT where an understanding of the underlying hardware, electronics, and physics is required to assess that the resulting product will not only meet functional requirements, but also meet timing, safety, reliability, security and fault tolerance requirements 


Information Science

Mainly involves computing Application dealing with (sender -> Lines -> Receiver).Setting up networks. Applied mainly in:
The car systems analysis, project management, database administration, network management, and other management fields. It has the responsibility to track new information technology and assist in incorporating it into the organization's strategy, planning, and practices

Cognitive Science 

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It's the Study of mind. Involves cooking  information and includes intelligence & Behaviors researches
Related to other fields. Also careers involved in neuroscience, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and others. Related topics are:

• Psychology
• Linguistics
• Philosophy
• NeuroScience
• Computer Science

Differences among these computing disciplines


CS topics were fairly diversified, with an emphasis on Computer, Problem domain , and Systems/software
concepts. The major CS subcategories were Inter computer communication and Hardware
principles/architecture while Problem domain was almost entirely about Computer graphics/pattern analysis,  programming languages, and Methods/techniques.

SE focused primarily on Systems/software and Systems/software management concepts. .SE subcategories were methods/techniques  and tools, while Systems/software management was largely about measurement . 


IS focused heavily on Organizational concepts with Systems/software management and Systems/software concepts. IS subcategories
within organizational concepts were usage/operation  and technology transfer.  IS also focused on the information Systems problem domain (for example, decision support or group support systems) within the category of Problem domain-specific concepts.

These disciplines tend to overlap in topic and are somehow related to each other in that a professional in one of the field can specialize in the other. It therefore gives a wide range of career paths and choices in many  industrial and organisational set ups and this is the advantage of studying in  the ICT field.




References:


1.Geist, R., Chetuparambil, M., Hedetniemi, M., and Turner, A.J. Computing
research programs in the U.S. Commun. ACM 36, 12 (Dec. 1996).
2.Glass, R.L. A comparative analysis of the topic areas of computer science,
software engineering, and information systems. Journal of Systems and Software
(Nov. 1992).
3.Glass, R.L. and Chen, T.Y. An assessment of systems and software engineering
scholars and institutions. Journal of Systems and Software 59, 1 (Oct.
2001). (Published annually since 1994.)
4.Impagliazzo, J. and Gorgone, J.T. Professional






“Most CS people laugh at MIS/IT people,”
and “MIS/IT people make more money and manage the CS folks.”

Well, I agree with this statement, first, if we observe in any organization, most of them have  IT Department, not CS Department. This is because IT is more involved in application of day to day activities in different organisations. Most organizations need IT people to use the program on daily bases unlike the CS people who would develop a software when the need arises. Likewise, IT people also are able to create the program since it involves a broader view in studying both IT and CS although  not as much as CS people. It can't be denied that CS is the mother of computing discipline, every career need their product like software engineering, information system and so on.


Furthermore, nowadays, people use IT to do business whereby IT helps people to earn more money. IT people can help the company to increase the effectiveness to do the work and getting more money. Furthermore, many IT people have highest position in company such as CEO, manager etc. Therefore, they can manage the CS folks.


The most important thing is that,  CS people and IT people are related to each others. CS people are creating the programs, and soft wares while IT people are concerned in the application of such software programs as well as training how to use them in the real fields.