I'm kind of tired at the moment, so I'm just going to throw some ramblings out there : I'm an Information Technology Specialist (Programmer) with the New York State government. I got my Bachelors and Masters (of Science) in Computer Science. I'm really loving what I do at the moment, and I think it really is a great field to get into, and it's ever expanding. Most of my current projects involve developing java-based web applications and systems programming. I didn't really 'pick' this type of programming as I was going through college because I wanted a wide variety, but given the choice again, I definitely would. Regardless of where you program, there are some commonalities: People want easy and intuitive web-based applications to get things done in an increasingly paperless world.Legacy systems written in COBOL (and other older generation languages) are getting rewritten in Java on a consistent basis. Doing either of the above can lead to an endless stream of work, which is a very good thing in today's economy. You'll get different opinions on what languages to learn, programming styles, etc, but it entirely depends on what you're looking to do - different languages are much better than others for certain tasks. The important thing, which I think my University emphasized well, was to learn a whole lot of theory first, and a wide variety of programming languages to a lesser degree, as opposed to mastering 1. Once you know the basics, you can pick up a book and spend 2 weeks to learn the syntax/details of a new language pretty easily. Suggestions: Pick up some books on the basics -(these were always my favorites http://www.deitel.com/ ) and see what interests you the most, get familiar with the stuff you've forgotten, etc.Once you get back into it, if you're looking to get a job in the field, do something that makes you stand out. Try coding independent projects, developing your own tools/programs, anything that can put you 1 step above the other 1089273091283 programmers looking for the same job. Personal bias: Java all the way. Web development is fast, fun, and pretty easy. Feel free to ask any questions
