Interesting topic/question. Thanks for asking it. In fact, it is a really good place to start. Having been married to my best friend for 28.5 years, I think that the most important suggestion that I can make is to be as open as you can about everything. My most irritating attribute (at least I think that it bothers her the most), is that when things get stressful, I tend to stop talking to her about what is going on. Even when she is feeling bad, she wants to know what is going on with me... Which is really encouraging for me. I'll share with you my absolute "best line" after 28.5 years of marriage... On her birthday, someone asked me "how old is she"... I was extremely fortunate to immediately reply "29 and holding, and I get to do the holding!" Remember, marriage is a spectator sport, you have to work at it to make it work... Bob

I think that most of the people reading this thread will agree with your premise. However, some of the things that were pointed out have a lot to do with the "lack of teaching/teachers": - Students aren't really interested in "learning", they just want to do the minimum to get by, and get a paycheck. Unfortunately, they don't take the time to consider what it takes to do a great job doing this stuff, especially if they have to "compete" with someone who is doing this because they love it. I consider myself fortunate that I have found something that I really like to do that I can get paid (fairly well) to do. [Thanks Dad for explaining this "fact of life" to me.] - People who "really" know how to program, and how to teach "good" programnming, are in short supply, and will continue to be so until the pay for teaching allows talented programmers, who think that they "might" want to teach are willing to try it out. However, I have a friend who tried teaching at a local university, and was appalled by the "tell me what I need to know to pass the class" mentality of the vast majority of the class. Many were only taking the class because of the prospect of getting a "decent" job was better for those with a "computer science" background. :-( Bob