Another classic example of "what is good for the individual is not necessarily good for the group" (the exact name of the economic theory escapes me).
Sure, for you, the cost/benefit scenario might not work out. You seem to be doing quite fine. However what about the people that created the languages you use? Those who built the processors you work on?
A lot of people will never need the things they teach in a standard CS curriculum. I doubt most programmers even know how to spell "automata". But then again, most programmers aren't doing anything new or ground breaking. Most programmers are simply rehashing solutions to problems already solved somewhere, or simply making small iterative steps. I have found that my own work seemed very "small minded" before I began my formal studies.
Even beyond that, I am now equipped to do most anything I choose involving this discipline. I've always wanted to create my own language, and now the only barrier is simply the time and effort I need to put in. I have all the requisite knowledge and background, and my solid foundation will allow me to easily (comparatively) pick up any new concept I might encounter.
The average programmer might never desire to create their own language, but for this field to continue to grow we need people to push the limit and innovate beyond our current limitations. To do this you need to have a deep comprehension of what you are working with.
However even beyond all of that, I wasn't content with not knowing the intricacies of computation. Maybe I'm just a naturally curious person (and possibly biased), but in my opinion the world of Computer Science is one of the most fascinating fields to have ever studied.
One last point... why not? Knowledge is power.
Edit: After reading some of the replies posted while I was typing, I'll agree there are outliers. You will always have those people who are able to become masters of their field with no formal training, but then again, those are a select few.
Sure, for you, the cost/benefit scenario might not work out. You seem to be doing quite fine. However what about the people that created the languages you use? Those who built the processors you work on?
A lot of people will never need the things they teach in a standard CS curriculum. I doubt most programmers even know how to spell "automata". But then again, most programmers aren't doing anything new or ground breaking. Most programmers are simply rehashing solutions to problems already solved somewhere, or simply making small iterative steps. I have found that my own work seemed very "small minded" before I began my formal studies.
Even beyond that, I am now equipped to do most anything I choose involving this discipline. I've always wanted to create my own language, and now the only barrier is simply the time and effort I need to put in. I have all the requisite knowledge and background, and my solid foundation will allow me to easily (comparatively) pick up any new concept I might encounter.
The average programmer might never desire to create their own language, but for this field to continue to grow we need people to push the limit and innovate beyond our current limitations. To do this you need to have a deep comprehension of what you are working with.
However even beyond all of that, I wasn't content with not knowing the intricacies of computation. Maybe I'm just a naturally curious person (and possibly biased), but in my opinion the world of Computer Science is one of the most fascinating fields to have ever studied.
One last point... why not? Knowledge is power.
Edit: After reading some of the replies posted while I was typing, I'll agree there are outliers. You will always have those people who are able to become masters of their field with no formal training, but then again, those are a select few.