It depends on what you want to do but here's what I would say. You'll pick up C# the quickest since it is identicaly to VB.NET except for syntax. C++ will take longer to learn but has less overlap in terms of it's applications than C# has with VB.NET. Plus if you learn it you'll also basically know C# since the only piece you're missing is a knowledge of c syntax (assuming you don't remember that from java). I also started with VB then learned C/C++ and C# is no problem for me. As far as mobile devices go I don't think C# would be very usefull because windows phones are probably the only ones using it and they only have a miniscule part of the market. From what I've read Apple uses Objective C and C++. Android and blackberry use Java and C++. So I would pick one of the those 3 languages.

Thanks everybody for your responses and advice. Since the time I posted this message a few months back I've been looking for a real programming job. I've gotten a few phone interviews but haven't landed anything yet and with the economy the way it is it might take a little while. I had talked with management even back when I posted the first message but the truth is that the actually development is being done by another contractor the government hired. It basically is not possible for them to give me much programming work on this project cause that isn't what we were hired for. Having said that the other contracter is behind schedule and we are ahead of schedule so they are considering giving us some of the work so I might get a miniscule amount of programming work eventually. Thanks again everyone.

You could try applying to my company http://www.accenture.com/[^] but you're not likely to be programming on your first project or even your second regardless of what your job title might say, but you will get paid and get experience that may help you get a real programming job. But I would suggest you read my posts VERY carefully first before you decide to apply. And please note you might have to travel alot depending on what project you get on. However, they will hire people in some cases without any degree or a semi related degree like mechanical engineering. The reason is that they have you take a number of tests and you have to go through a training program where you basically try out for your job, so they do a pretty good job of weeding people out. And even after you're hired they have a policy of firing a certain percentage of low performing empolyees every year or people who have gone more than a couple of years without getting a promotion (they call this the up or out policy). I think you mentioned something about being in Virginia and I think that is a place where they need people especially if you can pass a security clearence. I don't have time to read your code but one suggestion as someone who was originally a self taught programmer and then went to college and got a degree, just because your code works doesn't always mean it is well written. For instance when I first started programming I used global variable all the time and rarely passed argument. I figured it was a waste of time. Then I tried writing a really big program and found out why that's a bad idea. Now I'm very religous about modularization. You may not have this problem but I'm just using this as an example. You might want to read a book like code complete to learn about some of this type of stuff.

Interesting, what documents did you read to learn how to write that?

I've been working on a personal project for a while and I can see that it has some potential misuses if the source code was ever stolen. Anyways I wanted to encrypt my source code files incase my laptop was ever stolen. Anybody have any suggested on what the strongest encryption program and algorithms are? Also can anybody suggest a good book on the subject? I would like to become more knowledgeable about the subject myself. Thanks in advance.

Wow how did you manage to pull that off? That's exactly the type of programming I would like to do (or embedded programming) but I didn't have any luck getting that type of job. Then again my last semester was when all the banks were collapsing so I had to take what I could get :( .

First thank you all that answered my last post. I was wondering the project I am on right now involved getting a low level (IT-2) security clearance (don't get excited this isn't a cool project at all, infact it is very boring). I have a waiver but not the full clearance yet. Anyways if I was to leave my job in the future do you think that would help me get another job? I know for jobs where it's a requirement that would be very usefull because of the time and money it saves but what about jobs where it is not a requirement? Those of you that hire people, would it influence your decision to hire someone? Thanks

I hate to complain about my job considering how much unemployment there is but, is my situation normal as a first programming job? I was hired into a technology division of a consulting company. I was led to believe that I would be programming and that is my official title. The first month I went through a 1 month training program with a large number of other new hires to learn SAP/ABAP. I did do alot of programming in the training program. However, the project I was put on after the training program involves zero programming. 100% of my job is writing documentation for old programs written by other people. And none the other new hires I've met are programming either. In fact only a small percentage of the people I've met at the company actually seem to program. I was wondering is this what your first programming job was like or is my company an abberation? ps Sorry this is a cross post. I forgot that nobody reads the work/training issues forum. Moderators, if you want to get rid of one please get rid of that one.

I hate to complain about my job considering how much unemployment there is but, is my situation normal as a first programming job? I was hired into a technology consulting division of a consulting company. I was led to believe that I would be programming and that is my official title. The first month I went through a 1 month training program with a large number of other new hires to learn SAP/ABAP. I did do alot of programming in the training program. However, the project I was put on after the training program involves zero programming. 100% of my job is writing documentation for old programs written by other people. And none the other new hires I've met are programming either. In fact only a small percentage of the people I've met at the company actually seem to program. I was wondering is this what your first programming job was like or is my company an abberation?