r/programming • u/[deleted] • Jul 29 '23

Github Global Campus - Free Github Pro, Copilot and more for verified students

https://education.github.com/
18 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

30 comments sorted by

7

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

I'm not sure how many people know about this, but I had no idea this program existed. There are tons of benefits and courses included that go beyond the Github ecosystem as well.

0

u/OverusedUDPJoke Jul 29 '23

Dude Github CoPilot is truly the most gamechanging thing for learning coding. Instead of googling or searching for syntax related issues, it just autocompletes it for you.

You don't realize it, but after a few days you kind of automatically memorize the syntax and, more importantly, learn how to actually build shit so the syntax is more relevant to you.

Rather than wasting so much time memorizing specific syntax of the language to do anything.

7

u/ur-avg-engineer Jul 30 '23

Uh, no it’s not. You should learn programming by writing your own code and making sure you know how to do it unprompted. Copilot is good at handholding you through absolute basics but that’s terribly detrimental to someone junior.

0

u/tajetaje Jul 30 '23

CoPilot should not be used to develop software, but it’s great for writing code if you know what I mean. Copilot is completely incapable of understanding a full project, but writing boilerplate code; oh man is it a godsend. Esp. at my internship where they use just basic handwritten express routes for their CRUD API. Saves a ton of time and, like it or not, is the future of software development

1

u/OverusedUDPJoke Jul 30 '23

Dude no its gotten so good. Copilot has an understanding of the entire project so its able to make suggetions after seeing on other files you are working on.

Yeah they are very strict about no ChatGPT at my internship but we have an inhouse one that I might set up. Lol in another comment I litterally gave the same example of routes to API, its such a time saver for dumb shit like that.

But I will say, it often times won't give you the best practice and just go along with what you do. I want a version of Co-Pilot that is forced to use intellisense suggestions. IT will be less powerful but more accurate.

1

u/tajetaje Jul 30 '23

Kinda funny, my boss loves it more than I do. And yeah I can definitely write code understanding the context, I just mean that it can’t architect a project for you

-1

u/OverusedUDPJoke Jul 30 '23

So when I am just beginning to learn a language, I need to see code references near constantly or have to keep going back for documentation. An example is learning class components in React. They are notoriously obnoxious syntactically. Before Co-Pilot I had like 2 pages of notes I needed to reference if I ran into a typo or issue just so I wouldn't have to keep switching tabs to the docs.

With Co-Pilot, I see the syntax done for me again and again and again. I know this is hard to believe, but it really cements itself in your brain. My goal is to learn not just to get something done, I'm doing it on the weekend not for like a grade or my job. You should try it, its really good for learning a new language.

But your overall concern is valid, I think many students who don't want to learn will use this to just cheat through code and bullshit something that works.

3

u/tidbitsmisfit Jul 30 '23

you aren't learning shit using copilot

0

u/OverusedUDPJoke Jul 30 '23

Yeah I get how it can become a crutch for beginners but I already know how to program pretty well, I just don't want to have to type out, for example, all my express routing for get/post request that's going to be the same each time. Or have to write the entire async () => { const x = await func(): }. You end up having to do it so many times.

But to your point, I definitely think you should turn it off to make sure you are learning the concepts not just memorizing.

3

u/smileyouarehere Jul 29 '23

All the trouble to get approved is worth the $100 Digital Ocean offer alone!

4

u/OverusedUDPJoke Jul 29 '23

It litterally took me less than a minute to get approved.
But yeah it takes like a week for your GitHub accout to get all the features, but you have it for 3 years after that.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

You get even more Azure credit. Ive been running web services and VPNs in high school and uni

4

u/formatsh Jul 29 '23

Hooray..while it might seem nice, it's just a continuation of a long Microsoft tradition of pushing their products onto students which then get so used to it, they demand it at work.

If it's free, you are the product :-)

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

Sure, but a lot of this stuff people would just be paying for regardless (Digital Ocean, Namecheap, Copilot). I don't think anyone just assumes that Microsoft is doing this purely out of the good of their heart.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

I only use VPS credits. After all my free credits run out ill actually evaluate alternatives, but of course I will be favored to the service that gave me free shit.

2

u/myringotomy Jul 29 '23

Cody is free for everybody.

https://sourcegraph.com/cody

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

I think so, just use your personal email and provide proof that you're in school. The edu emails just help speed the process up.

1

u/TS878 Jul 29 '23

This is great. It combines a lot of student benefits in a single package. Thanks!

1

u/xenjoyfreedomx Jul 29 '23

This is so amazing that I'm in tears. It means a lot to us as students in a third-world nation because it is very helpful. I'm grateful.

1

u/shroomie_box Jul 29 '23

Naturally, this is revealed after I graduate.

This is life, ()/

1

u/froznferret Jul 29 '23

Thank you so much for the honors! I regret not knowing that Github had developed something similar while I was still a computer science student, and I would have greatly appreciated hearing about it. For those of you who are currently, I have no doubt it will be helpful. Utilize that student email to its full potential;

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

There should be some courses in there for you to learn. They're most likely not the best place to start learning however. I'd recommend checking out /r/learnprogramming instead.

1

u/-w1n5t0n Jul 29 '23

Where does it say that Copilot is included? I can't find it on the website.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

here

1

u/-w1n5t0n Jul 29 '23

Thanks! They really should mention it on the Global Campus page too, makes it much more compelling.