<p>What is the difference between CS and information technology? Which is more useful in the long run? Is CS more theory and I.T. applications based? Which degree do the companies prefer?</p>
<p>You posted this in engineering but CS has two tracks really. West Lafayette is Purdue is that a program you are considering?</p>
<p>No, actually I am at Purdue right now. I am doing EE. I was thinking of doing CS or I.T. for my masters.</p>
<p>Look at Stanford or MIT.</p>
<p>Can someone answer my questions? Also is IT more suspectible to be outsourced?</p>
<p>Generally, I would say that CS has to do with creating technical algorithms or applications in which computers and information technology represent the product being delivered. Designing a new processor at AMD or Intel makes use of computer science. Creating the next generation of Linux (or Windows) is partially a computer science problem. Building a new relational database engine is computer science. Designing and creating an international ATM network is essentially an IT problem. So is creating an online ordering system, or sending bills to 10 million customers.</p>
<p>There is obviously a lot of overlap and messiness, but I believe that IT is generally concerned with creating an information-based system for a use by a particular organization, and CS is, in essence, furthering the basic technology of the computer biz.</p>
<p>Good call. I tend to have experienced that many in CS with excellent math skills can do more than EE who are more concrete thinkers.</p>