C++ and programming

[Steve Jovanovic]

PS One other suggestion I have, although it has nothing to do with C++,
is to pursue Java certification. The Sun Certified Java Programmer
certification forces you to learn the language inside and out, which is
a great way to establish a solid foundation. After that, you get to have
real fun. :) There's the Sun Certified Java Developer certification that
requires you to write a real application, submit it, take a test, etc.
If you're willing to invest a few months of effort, a few hundred
dollars in books, and $750 or so, you could pick up the SCJP, SCJD, and
SCWCD (Web Component Developer) certifications. By the end of it all,
I'll bet you that $750 that you'd be able to develop real applications.
:)

There are easier and less expensive ways, I guess, but the great thing
about doing something like the above is that it's embarrassing to throw
away $150 on the SCJP if you're not going to pass it. Having a stake in
the outcome--especially a financial one--acts as a big motivator. :) And
I have to say, especially coming from a C++ background, that Java is a
really elegant language. C++ had to make a lot of compromises because it
inherited a massive legacy code base written in C. With Java, they
started afresh and it shows. 

The great irony about it is that it's much smaller than C++ and you can
do much more with it. The certifications look great on a resume, they
confer real knowledge, and you can get a lot of help doing them (see
http://www.javaranch.com).