Want to attend Harvard?

I saw this ad on the CTA:



That lady in traditional clothing seems to be learning computer graphics on C++. That cout thing... that matrix, and the wording that says "digital media art."

cout is a unique beast of C++. No other languages have this << pipe thing. printf of C makes a comeback in the latest Java.
cout writes to the console. The computer class this lady is taking is a toy class that teaches you basic things but charges you hefty tuition. Graphics apps ought to jump out of that console.... In a semester or two, your school (even Harvard) isn't going to teach you some Windows API or Unix graphical environment API to draw cool things, but merely teach you some theories. Matrices is such important tool for computer graphics.

To most people, computer graphics means rocking great things you see in movies. Schools in a semester or two can't teach you that. It can teach you foundations such as turning 3D into 2D and that mathematics is too tough for most people. Bezier curves, I am sure, will scare the daylight out of most people.

Another meaning of computer graphics is able to tweak pictures with difficult-to-use programs such as Photoshop. I suppose the guys who tweak with photoshop does not need to know the math behind Bezier curves.

So is it a rewarding experience to take a class or two in software engineering and computer graphics? yes.

Are you going to find computer graphics work just by knowledge obtained in the classes? no.

Computer graphics work (there are almost non-existent) means very good art skills and able to use those that professional graphics memory-hog software. It means ultra smart programmers who are much better than the average guy doing database and simple web programming.

That matrix stuff are very interesting math topics, however, modern computer graphics engines such as OpenGL actually does all that work for you and your less math capable classmates don't have to know any of that.