<p>Can anyone tell me What are the basic computer skills needed for an engineering major, specifically Industrial Engineering?</p>
<p>Since there's still three months or so before term starts, could I catch up on some computer skills?</p>
<p>Logical thinking. Try reading on data structure algorithms and writing some of them. If you want more practice you can try programming them in an appropriate language.</p>
<p>^^Which appropriate language (C++ or Java etc.)??</p>
<p>Is MatLAB useful for M.E's or no?</p>
<p>Yes. MATLAB is more than likely the programming language you'll be using the most as an engineering student. MATLAB's a lot like C++, from what I've been told... All I ever really learned were C++ and MATLAB, though, so I really don't have much of a basis of comparison.</p>
<p>You could start off with Visual Basic then move to C++/C# /Java (more advanced stuff). Java is a starting option but I think Visual Basic is easier to learn. Again, you would want to concentrate on algorithms for looping, basic data structures, arrays etc since it is the basics you want.</p>
<p>Idk about MatLAB, it's a powerful tool so definitely useful and worthwhile. Whether a curriculum would impose it on you or not, I don't think so. Profs would reference it and you may need it for numerical methods and stuff like that.</p>
<p>VB is definitely easiest to learn, but it's supposed to teach very poor programming habits. Don't really know how much that matters if you're planning on being an engineer instead of going into computer science, though. I'm probably more fluent in C++ than VB, but I still do about half of my programming in VB just due to the simplicity of the language.</p>
<p>Please don't learn VB, try python, if ur just starting, or u can try to go right into C++/C/JAVA. MatLAB is very useful for MechE's and just about any enggie major, but u can leave MatLAB for college, or try Scheme/Octave.</p>
<p>I took a class in high school for programming and had it as an EC for a website I was volunteering for. When I went to college there was only one mandatory class(it was for all engineers) for my engineering major that was about programming. I didn't even go to class and I passed. So mattering on the major(I was MSE) you don't need to know all that much as long as you know the basics.</p>
<p>Originally C++ was required for M.E.'s, but recently the engineering department changed it to MatLab. So now I'm registered for MatLab for next semester. I don't even know what it is.</p>
<p>You'll learn all the computer science you'll need in your classes, so don't worry about "catching up."</p>
<p>C++</p>
<p>Remember a famous formula?
Program=Algorithm+data structure.</p>
<p>
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specifically Industrial Engineering?
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</p>
<p>Not C++ for Industrial Engineering.</p>
<p>you should be familiar with adobe as a lot of solutions manuals are pdf</p>
<p>What about C# or Ruby ?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Originally C++ was required for M.E.'s, but recently the engineering department changed it to MatLab. So now I'm registered for MatLab for next semester. I don't even know what it is.
[/quote]
Opposite for my school. Matlab is being replaced by C++!! That's ridiculous especially for ME and AEs!</p>
<p>So therefore at our school, people can get their B.S without taking MATLAB! Worst thing is that some courses require MATLAB work (controls), and there's too much material to be covered to stop and start teaching MATLAB in that class.</p>
<p>Are we screwed?</p>