As an aside to the main topic...You code and build things because...you like to build things. It's fun. And creative. Other people never build things. They just sit in front of the TV and completely vegetate. They are called "consumers" (coach potatoes). I think it's much better to be a Builder. It's a good thing! - Grant

Ok, here's an idea that might be good for you. Produce a web page that aggregates other web pages. It would be like a mini-dashboard that could have a box for sticky forum items that an administrator would mark as "useful enough to be stuck". Or you could let users vote on which forums should be "stuck up" ("stickyed up"?) and the highest voted ones would appear in the "Most Useful" box. Have another box with latest job postings, a short list, filtered by something like "Java" or "C#" or something and only the N latest postings. Another box, perhaps larger, with the best marked or voted "How To" articles. While this might seem to be a lot of work it doesn't have to be for your assignment. Use an existing forum, an existing job listing, an existing set of how to articles. Figure out a way to select which ones show in your boxes. Include hyperlinks to them of course. So you just have to put together a single dashboard-like web page. Add a couple of controls to change the layout at least slightly and you will have something with some user interaction and some utility. You could make this a "personalizable" dashboard to Code Project forums, articles, and job postings. The main Code Project landing page already does this to an extent but it's not customizable (that I know of) and for a class project it would have utility. And people on Code Project might find it useful so you could post it to Code Project for review and feedback. You could implement it in any number of languages but I would suggest that C# in ASP.NET might be fairly easy to get started with and be more relevant for Code Project people here. Good luck, - Grant

Brandon, A true all purposes programming language would be able to define itself. What we use today for high level languages cannot. Essentially we need a new definition/undertanding of programming languages. It needs to be both an object definition language and a procedural language AND allow to automatic storage and automatic communications. Essentially it needs to be a procedural programming language, a data encoding storing definition, and a communication protocol all in one. What we have now does not begin to come close. All the "new" languages today are just warmed over slight variations of the existing paradigm. What this real new language would be would be able to express any programming task or program as wells as be used to describe other things such as human languages... - Grant

I meant in the commercial, non-aerospace world. I remember that there is an organization that deals with software QA but I don't remember them as aerospace or military oriented. There's also something about a job positions that deals with software change management (i.e. version control, processing builds, etc) that might be a possibility for you. Generally, if you can demonstrate proficiency in coding/development with a specific language/dev platform you should be able to find a contract or a job then work your way up. A CS degree helps. Doing some projects really help (as was suggested earlier). Certification might help. - Grant

Look for software QA positions. You can combine and use both skill sets. There's some info, training, and perhaps certification on the web for this. At least there's a software QA organization. I worked for a messed up firm in Denver that had such positions. The companies that need them the most are typically disorganized and don't know much about software so if you're patient and can do some teaching (and not get too frustrated) then it can be a good position for you. Software QA people don't code but are expected to have some background in it and know at least the basic buzz words. I think that this code be a very good career path for you. Most of the software QA people don't have and rigorous (or realistic) QA background so you would easily eclipse them once you got a little up to date software experience.

I would suggest lunch and learns. You provide the food. Schedule one per two weeks at a minimum. Determine what topics need to be covered (you list what you think the knowledge/skills gaps are and then ask them for their lists too). Ask for volunteers then assign the remaining topics so everyone has a couple of topics. Schedule the most useful topics first. Presentations should be white board. Don't necessarily need a PowerPoint if the presenter knows the topic. If the presenter doesn't know the topic then he/she gets to research/learn it and present it. Everyone is involved, learns, and shares.

Marc, I agree with you that software developement does not require complicated tools and such, just intelligence. What I want to ask you about is if you can identify what is "Something grossly lacking in most people". A short list of things perhaps? The reason for my request is that I planning to write a paper on "Software Psychology" that talks about the various mindsets found amongst different types of developers and other people in IT (such as DBAs) and then try to extrapolate some useful insights (if possible) into how the various type learn, do their work, and can be effectively managed (if such as thing is possible). Since you are a very experienced and talented developer I suspect that you have some good insights. We can take this offline if you so desire. Anyone else have some good (not frivilous) insights here? (Ok, good humor IS appreciated!) :) Thanks. - Grant