Sorry, It's not related about a programming issue, it's a future plan of mine to become a programmer. I'm still in High school and this is the last year in it, I'm planning to join a computer science faculty. So, is programming an impossilbe task ? or it has good jobs ? I love to write programs as I learnt some of C++ langauge I found that it's too hard for me to learn it myself so, I tried Visual Basic I got used to it, I'm just asking if I continue in this way and join a good faculty, can I get a good job as a programmer ? or do I have to change the plan and see for something else, but, I really like to be a programmer in the future as I also know it's hard one but, I don't care about that too much, as anyone has to work hard to get good life. Please tell me what should I do to walk in this path. I am really sorry for making this long.

I once went for an interview as a programmer. Got all dressed up in my best suit, had a haircut and cleaned my shoes. Arrived on time and answered all the questions put to me, nothing I couldn't work out. After about 45 minutes I thought I was doing well when the guy interviewing me said "You may well be a good programmer but you will never be a brilliant one," "Why is that?" said I "Your not weird enough", he replied. "Weird!" I said, "What do you mean weird?" "Well you have sat there for forty five minutes and in all that time you havn't picked you nose, scratched your bum or poked a finger in your ear which means you are far to normal to be a really brilliant programmer?" I didn't get the job but if I had known it was weird he was after I could have given him weird. Programming is one of those things you have to want to do. Financial rewards are of secondary importance. Being a bit weird helps a bit as well. Stuart

Thanks very much for your reply, I think that the interviewer meant that you should be as normal person, one of the actions you told about isn't recommended by advisors but, it acts like you're normal person. So, I think to be a programmer you don't need to be weired but, to be normal or in another meaning act yourself naturally. In the other hand I'm still far from getting a job, I'm asking if I would be ok if I did continue my plan, I'll join Computer science faculty after finishing this year of High school, I'll do anything that helps me to be a programmer, and my second wonder is, is there good jobs nowadays ? As you know many people are joining college of commerce and, the world is full of traders, accountants and merchants that there is no place for a new one (or rare places) so, Is programming gets the same trouble of finding jobs ?

Beware Programming is just the ABC of Computer Science; you will face and cope with Mathematics, Electronics, Software Engineering when at College. Are you ready for those challenges? About jobs in Information Technology there are as many traders and accountants as programmers and the effervescent years of IT are ended, but if you try hard and believe in your own dream the match is ever worth to play. After graduating I started as system programmer, but soon my boss realised I was too smart to program so pulled me to management. I got money and my career soared to the top of the company, but I never programmed or designed software (that was the job I indeed loved). Usually you don't get much money from plain technical or scientific jobs, just pleasure.

Actually, I've read about the Computer science college and, I knew that the college is devided to 5 professions and, programming is one of them. I remember that there is networking, Databases and other 2 things I forgot. No prob about that, I don't care about how much challanges I face, the important is that I'll be able to find a good job after graduating from the college. And I also think that Maths, electronics and software engineering won't be studied as deep as programming, it will be the bases that will be used in programming. The thing that I can't understand that the programming is ABC in the college, how ? or what does that mean ? What the programmer supposed to do other than programming ?? Much thanks for you and, sorry if my words are reclessly said as I'm much woried and too curious.

The fact you are concerned about your future sounds positive to me assuning you are NOT too concerned as future must remain unknown to appreciate your life. When I say Programming is ABC I mean you will discover a whole world beyond the raw coding practice. Your statement that a programmer have just to code is quite narrow as th beef of any program is what you are programming for, e.g. a technical problem, a game, a financial issue and so on. When I shifted to management I had to deal with programming proposal about banking matters I, as electrical engineer, never had figured out. Any programmer, and you will be a graduated one, is of more value according the more knowledge accumulated in his competence field. In other wors a programmer will never be a good engineer or manager, the opposite usually happens.

Much appreciated, You're actually giving me valuable reasons for me to continue in this path and I really don't know what to say, You are encouraging me to success in this field. I heard a proverb says "Man is known by company he keeps" and I think "Man is know by knowledge / experience he keeps" This is life, it's a school where you learn new everyday. I wish you a good luck in your career and I hope that I become one of hardworking programmers - not famous one I don't like to be one of big mouths - sorry about that. I'll work as hard as I can to pass this last year of High School as the secondary education stage needs work as well to get the qualifications needed to join Computer science faculty. In the meantime what should I practice in field of programming till I pass this year ? Is there any advice or things to learn ? Acutally I started with VB to get used to programming environment, I started with some silly program it's calculator, picture viewer and wav files player, and I also learnt how to use the clipboard (copy / paste) in VB, In C++ I didn't do much, I made a console program in C++ calculates any shape's space and geometry volumes. I shouldn't tell about all of that. thanks for your answers.