It may be the IT equivalent of a McDonalds burger-flipper, and you'll hate (almost) every day of it, but it will get your foot in the door.
That's my experience anyway. I started out as a lowly helpdesk analyst for a small biotech firm in RTP, NC almost 9 years ago, and am now a senior programmer working for the 3rd largest bank in the US.
I think my 11 months on the helpdesk has made me a better programmer, because I've seen first-hand how frustrated users get when software barfs up unhelpful error messages, or worse, pulls a total crash and burn for stupid reasons. I actually have the reputation of writing some of the most bulletproof code in my division, and the helpdesk experience is a big reason for it.
If you are looking for C++ book recommendations, here are the best two web
sites that I know of:
www.accu.org/bookreviews/public/index
This is probably the most complete and accurate list of C/C++ book reviews
you are ever likely to find. Unlike the reviews you find on places like
amazon.com which are written by the unwashed masses, these reviews are
written by the experts who really do know a good book from a bad
one!
Slashdot Mirror
It may be the IT equivalent of a McDonalds burger-flipper, and you'll hate (almost) every day of it, but it will get your foot in the door.
That's my experience anyway. I started out as a lowly helpdesk analyst for a small biotech firm in RTP, NC almost 9 years ago, and am now a senior programmer working for the 3rd largest bank in the US.
I think my 11 months on the helpdesk has made me a better programmer, because I've seen first-hand how frustrated users get when software barfs up unhelpful error messages, or worse, pulls a total crash and burn for stupid reasons. I actually have the reputation of writing some of the most bulletproof code in my division, and the helpdesk experience is a big reason for it.
Ahhh, just take a shit in the tax return envelope before mailing your state return, and call it even.
I first read the headline as "Supreme Court Rules Against Taco" and thought oh jeez what has he done this time?
...but we know it's really a scarecrow to keep away those pesky space aliens!
If you are looking for C++ book recommendations, here are the best two web sites that I know of:
C ++
www.accu.org/bookreviews/public/index
This is probably the most complete and accurate list of C/C++ book reviews you are ever likely to find. Unlike the reviews you find on places like amazon.com which are written by the unwashed masses, these reviews are written by the experts who really do know a good book from a bad one!
www.cs.technion.ac.il/users/yechiel/CS/BadBooksC+
This won't tell you which book(s) to buy, but which one's to avoid!