Coding question

[davv]

So I am deciding upon classes for the next half year, and I'm having a bit of a difficulty deciding... so I thought I would ask here.

What do you think would be most interesting to learn about - functional programming or GPGPU programming? I know just about the same amount about each.

(I'm leaning in one direction, but still haven't quite decided.)

Comments

[premchaia_pre4]

Functional on the GPU.

*crickets chirp*

… what?

[davv]

That's not a subject! (And I don't think I could handle taking both at once.)

[lhexa]

GPU programming, then functional programming in a later semester, so you'll learn how to clean up your messy multithreaded code.

(Not a serious suggestion, I should say.)

[davv]

It turned out the GPU programming one is only taught in Fall, thus neatly collapsing the choice. You can't pick what's not available!

[lhexa]

What else are you taking, if you don't mind saying?

[davv]

The way it is organized, we have a broad subject (mathematics and computational science) which is divided into smaller, but still somewhat broad subcategories. I had to decide which subcategory to take, a month or so ago. Each subcategory then sets the concrete classes I'll take, but I can add more if I'd like (if I have the prerequisites and think I can handle the burden).

The ones I've just finished were mathematics (mostly calculus), numerical methods (and analytical solution of recurrence relations and differential equations) and basic scientific programming (by Python).

Next up is more mathematics (mostly linear algebra and more calculus), statistics (introductory stuff), and OOP in Java. Since I think Java OOP will be easy, I've also picked functional programming, because that is something that seems interesting but alien enough (so to speak) that I haven't had the time to investigate it on my own.

[lhexa]

Linear algebra is quite useful, so pay particular attention to it. Loads of problems take place in some multi-dimensional vector space, often infinite-dimensional ones, and are greatly simplified by some change of basis. It's probably more useful than the sections of calculus you'd be at by now (basic vector calculus, I guess?).

The irony is that it won't be until the advanced classes that you get to the areas of mathematics that you already know well, like fractal sets and dynamical chaos...