Good advice
As I am working through C++ programming problems my C++ Primer Plus book, this story pops up on my news reader.
I think the same justifications hold for a traditional CS education. You might not actually use the knowledge directly, but it creates a basis of understanding that will help accomplish what you actually do use on a daily basis.
Coding the Wheel is my favorite blog right now. I could care less about windows programming, but with his posts about poker bots, I get all excited about the neat hacks that make the windows world work.