Meet a Tutor: Chris Ottersen
Chris Ottersen
Computer Science student at University of Washington
Tell us a little about yourself…
I am 24 years old and live near Seattle Washington. I have 2 associates degrees, one of which was in Computer Informat… blablabla,
I studied programming for 2 straight years. I have varying levels experience in Java, JavaScript, C, C#, C++, PHP, and Dart. I am currently attending University of Washington Tacoma and eating Arby’s.
When did you first start learning computer science?
About 4 years ago during an ill-advised attempt to get a degree in electrical Engineering I took a course in Java which I barely passed followed by a course in C which I dropped out of. About a year later I decided to try to take more Java and it worked out.
Do you have any favorite programs or projects that you’ve built?
Formatted printing for JavaScript,
Various data structures in C and Java
Websites in JavaScript, PHP, HTML, C# and various other tools.
Fun facts about you?
1. If you give me any leftovers I will find you the perfectly sized tupper-ware to store it in. First Try.
2. I think #1 is impressive.
3. I know 6–7 programming languages, and about as many non-programming computer languages.
4. By spending 30 seconds talking about any of those I can empty a room.
5. I am an Eagle Scout.
6. I cannot remember how to start a fire (I recall wood being an ingredient).
Favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate Peanut Butter. Insult it and I will fight you.
Words of advice for the next generation of coders?
1. Just remember, all the work you are doing is to avoid doing more work.
2. Don’t try to compare the time-saved to the time-coding. That will probably depress you.
3. Learn this: https://www.dartlang.org/
4. I have seen teenagers, children, young adults, men, women, senior citizens, ex-cons, ex-cops and former military starting and flourishing in this field. You will do fine.
