Tips for an up an coming programmer.

[NDprogrammer]

Tips for an up and coming programmer.

I am new to this fourm and was just hoping some programmers out there could give me some tips. I currently am going for my bachelors in information technology with an emphasis in programming. I have already taken both basic and advanced classes in Visual Basic 6 and learned it with ease. I also have extensive knowledge in Java using JBuilder. Java was a bit harder to learn but I still picked it up quite well. I also have taken classes in C++, Javascript, HTML, XML, Linux, and all Microsoft Office products. The questions I am wondering are what languages should I really hone in on?? I know its good to have broad knowledge on different languages but are some that are more important than others??? I have also been hearing reports that due to a lot of jobs going offshore that the job market for programmers is shrinking?? Also for anyone who has working as a programmer, are the hours a strain on your personal life??? I have heard that you are pretty much devoted to your job and everything else takes second to the work at hand??? Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[root]

Hmmm,
I work in a software house, but as a network admin.
The programmers here do sometimes take work home, but I'd say that your personal life doesn't take second place, the strain (there obviously is some strain) is what you pay for not having a mind numbing job like working in a burger king, where when you walk out the door you stop thinking about your job.

as well as being a network admin I've also learned C, (and am learning C++),
and I know HTML, VB, Javascript, php, asp etc...
I'd say that you need to figure out what you want. They are currently hiring more VB programmers at the place I work, here you could find yourself working on bespoke business systems, and web business system,s, all made with microsoft technologies for microsoft platforms, shipped out to microsoft users.
Linux doesn't really get a look in (other than for our business use).
alternativly, if you learn C++ you could work for either windows, OR other platforms developing software houses.

If you concerntrait on web languages, then you'll obviously want to work as a web developer. this is satisfying because the results are put on show, and project turn around is incredibly fast. but the competition is huge, and generally the 'designers' that a backend programmer will have to work with won't really know a great deal about the technologies they are working with.

+there are literally millions of people sitting in bedrooms providing cheap competition, with their hobby job. web design is not something I'd recomend you specialise in unless you have a firm base, ie specialise after you've got the job.

 

[inimino]

The market for programmers is not really shrinking, but salaries are dropping.

VB in my opinion is not a worthwhile language; if you want to be a better-than-average programmer, try to master Scheme for example.

 

[ksb007]

I would have to say that web design is a great way to go. There are plenty of opportunities for web developers, many companies need web design. I learned C++, but the college i attend has moved towards Java because it is becoming more and more needed in the job market. .Net programming is also up and coming. For awhile, the job market was decreasing, but it is on the rebound as far as I can tell. You just have to look.

 

[inimino]

Web design != Web development

 

[root]

That was my point exactly.
there are web developers (people like myself, who code ASP, ASPX, PHP, Perl, compiled C, COM+).
(yet can't make a site look good for shit)
and then there are people who make really really pretty sites. but can't actually code for shit.

The former, in my experiance normally use plain text editors such as notepad.
whilst the latter use speicalised programs that make messy HTML code, or worse, create pictures with rectangular href boxes that are positioned on the page.