People are just reply based on uneducated assumptions


Pascal is still very useful , though admittedly not as popular as the new mainstream languages C#,Java,VB.NET.

The famous platform that C# and even java got there beginnings from is based on Pascal.

Just google for Delphi or Kylix and see for yourself ,

Some programming languages allow the student to focus on real concepts rather than the jargon of the language.

e.g Shell programming was invented as far back as 40 years ago, and i can assure you that its still very much in vogue, Nobody talks about it but its the glue that binds a lot of the work one does in any OS together.

remember everything gets to be machine code at the end of the day ,

Guys ,

no fighting ,pleaseee,

The truth is Organizations (mostly late adopters) don't like solutions without a viable economic model backing it up i.e Is somebody making money from this technology,
if yes then there not likely to stop developing it.


The above observation doesn't eliminate the fact that a lot of open source products have been fore runners in the services they provide, but it will also be noted that the success of many open source apps depend on the big players coming into the game once the product has been proven to be viable (technically speaking).

e.g Sun and IBM, Linux and IBM,NOVELL, Jboss and Red Hat, Spring and BEA.

So by all means use open source products (java is now open source ) ,but in the scenario under discussion use future proof technologies that have been proven to work ,

It will also be interesting to know that VB.NET supports more object oriented features than Java (properties,delegate, attributes e.t.c)

Your statement is misleading, you mean some features are directly implemented in the language

besides delegates are not really object oriented!!!

Java now supports attributes

no delegates yet, but anonymous inner classes provide callbacks

properties are in java (using Javabeans coding convention)

I've developed non-trivial applications with Basic,C#, and java
I think the structure of languages that use C style syntax is more appealing hence while VB has the power of the .NET CLS at its disposal i find programming java or even javascript more appealing than VB

A company in Lagos needs java programmers ,

requirements:

1)Solid background in java (java cert is an added advantage)
2)Variety of frameworks used would be an added advantage
3)Experience programming CDC profile (optional)
4)Ant, shell scripting ,

by the way e-banking doesn't really refer to banks alone

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you want to manage accounts with funds tied to them ,

Well you have a good point (PFA, microFinance, Insurance, etc.)

The only thing that separates this companies from banks is the size of their IT budget ,

PHP ? any thing is possible these day ,

I think you should go the java route ,
You'll be creating an Enterprise application that would service thousands of users , Unix is always the attractive option for any major technology adopter (Banks definitely fall into this category). You need a technology that would scale well on Unix (Please lets not hear talks of MONO , )

With java you can leverage on technologies from IBM, SUN, BEA ,ORACLE ,RED HAT etc.
with .NET the only player worth noting is MS.

this is not a java vs. .NET thingy, i think java is just, simply the best choice, both tactically and strategically for you.

(I've got loads of experience selling e-banking to banks, windows is usually a no go area!)

You'll have to change your queries to support concurrency ,

like SELECT FOR UPDATE ,

or use tricks like optimistic concurrency , where you compare the record to be updated with the record b4 the update , if they're different , then the record has changed etc.

Its not exactly trivial but you'd need to ask yourself what the impact of concurrent users would do to your app, the impact might not really be much ,

have fun

Up Bioye!!!

Guys volunteer, now ,

Bioye those technologies can't be learned in 2 days except you're neal Gafter of joshua Bloch ,


So all the real Neal Gafter' PLEASE STAND UP


-------- Bioye long time!

Since you're asking ,i'd guess you're not a SAP professional yet ,

I think its better u pursue the SCDJWS first since u need much less time to prepare as opposed to the SAP world.


SAP is definitely Numero Uno as per ERPs , so go for it! But once u get into SAP, it'll be all SAP(Since there's so much to know).

U should be able to prepare and pass SCDJWS in 2 months ! after that u can then chase Vendor certs ,

@ishmael
Yes you're right, (they are numerical methods of solving linear equations)and i think they're the methods, best suited for the problem.

I developed some C programs when i was in school to solve the exact same thing , Its been ages since i've seen the programs ,

The methods are very programmable, as opposed to the plain Gaussian methods ,

I'd recommend the book ,numerical recipes in C, a copy and paste solution should be there
http://www.nr.com/oldverswitcher.html

Isn't that Gauss-Seidel /Jacobi's method ?

When people use the phrases "front -end" or "back-end" its usually with reference to the end user of software system.
So any (sub)system that the end-user interacts with directly is often called the front-end. Back-end then, refers to the support systems(systems that help the front-end) that
are usually hidden/transparent to the end-user.

Databases most often fall into the category of back-end 'cause users won't directly run queries.

Application logic could also be also be back end but a popular term for that now is Middleware.

UIs are mostly commonly called front-end, but its also possible to refer to web-service endpoints as front-ends.

So front-end and back-end depends on who's asking and where he's sitting.

@prodgalson

Note: I'm not pro MS but

It proves you can program anything with .NET (almost).
Know one does direct X better than M.S oses
the way trends are going, all apps would run in one managed environment or the other ,eventually ,
You should see java's 2D,3D support. Graphics acceleration support is now java ,imagine !

But Yes sh|ts and giggles it is ,but its possible , .

You guys should have a look at Brain Bench's Global skills report for 2006.
http://www.phanmemvietnam.com/images/News/TaiLieu/Brainbench_GlobalSkillsReport2006.pdf

Its not the best, but there's so much potential.

you can use a jdbc-odbc bridge.

Since ODBC drivers are always installed for Access by default, that's a quick win solution.

The Long term one is download a jdbc driver for Ms-Access. DataDirect Technologies have good drivers for MS technologies.

There are several issues with an internet based app , the availability of an internet link becomes a constraint.


Like prodgalson said its possible to obfuscate your code. It'll probably be harder to obfuscate an interpreted language such as python as opposed to, say c.

But even obfuscation has it limits if a person wants access to your process (source code isn't necessary).


In my opinion, Software should be seen as a subscription service, a client pays, not for what you've written but for the ingenious ways your app can aid him. He'll pay you to solve both the problems that he has now and later in short , he pays for support.

Write your software and make yourself invaluable to your customers. The ones that matter will keep coming back.
Most large software outfits have learned this, you can even download fully commercial versions of the software form the net.
They know that for non-trivial use the customer would alway call them , (sometimes )

java is a more viable option now ,
You can also try C#

And yes you can write games (desktop , phones and pdas) in both languages.

I've seen the game Quake 3 recompiled in .NET ! and it ran beautifully.

C++ is a nice language, but for u - the un-decided

Java,C#(VB.NET ),python,PHP are good options

You would also make money, not from learning them but from securing a nice job when you're reasonably competent with any one of them

(SCJP 1.5, SCJD)

Congrats,

I think u should start with a good Object Oriented Programming book.

Its good u know u'd like to be a software developer but remember , Coding skills is not the most ubiquitous tool in the arsenal of a developer.
Its a broad knowledge,
Inquisitive mind,
Analytical thinking!

So, please don't let your other Computer Science course suffer
make sure you understand the rudiments
Please, Maths is your friend

Just study hard, and get always add an IT book to your reading list, for every semester !

Software development , like all things worthwhile takes time and dedication,
I guarantee that if u follow this formula you'd Graduate as a seasoned and well rounded Computer scientist/Programmer/Software Engineer

The future is bright!!!

Guys!
Lets get our nomenclature straight ,

A stand-alone app is one that literally "Stands on it own", meaning no networking, no communications whatsoever with any other system.
IT would typically have a local DB, application executables etc. (All running on a single machine)
It is also essentially a single user system, it can be multi-threaded can have only one multi-threaded client.


A fat client is looks like a stand-alone but it connects to a server sitting somewhere else, meaning, bulk of application logic, persistence info etc. resides somewhere else on the network. The main advantage of fat clients is the rich user experience. But like Some guys have noted its hellious to maintain across large enterprises(though not impossible)

There's also something in between stand-alones and fat clients called Smart Clients.
It behaves like a fat client when a network connection is available , when the connection breaks or something ,
it behaves like a standalone.
This means it not only has to have reasonable intelligence, but it must retain data i.e store/replicate data locally ,

Some of issues to look out for when deciding on application architecture are :
1) Would u(the application deployer) have access to the users machine to install stuff ? (this is not always possible due to geographic location, service-consumer relationship etc.)
2) How often would application logic (Business requirements) change ? ( in todays world, Any viably running business always has it business requirements changing at the speed of , . Imagine if you have to go round installing stuff every-time the marketing guys found a new business initiative)
3)Skills , Are there developers and architects at AFFORDABLE prices to wield technologies like smart clients
4)Hardware infrastructure
5)Security (Standalone is the safest, Sitting at home behind locked doors is also safe ,but how come Lagos roads are always filled with traffic ? To do any thing reasonably worthwhile security must be compromised! )

I guess my personal bias, is shown in some of my comments ,