Software development

t49

Can anyone point me in the right direction for software development/computer programming books and certs.??

Thanks in advance.

brad-

Start with MCAD

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcad/default.mspx

JDMurray

Start with MCAD

No, the MCAD and MCSD certs are only for .NET 1.x technology, which was replaced by .NET 2.0 three years ago. If you want to learn .NET programming (C#, Visual Basic 2005/200, look at the MCTS and MCPD certifications first, and also the postings in our Microsoft Developers Certifications forum. The only other language that has well-known prgramming certifications is Java, and we have a Java Certification forum for those too.

brad-

I didnt know what he might be looking for, since he gave no information at all. The MCAD learning page has links to everything on it.

JDMurray

Anyone looking for a programming cert pretty much must choose between C# or Visual Basic 2005 (Microsoft) or Java (Sun). The old Visual Basic 6 and Visual C++ MCSD certs were discontinued by Microsoft. Some database and Web certs could be considered programming certs of a sort. And there are software security certs (EC-Council's CSAD and ECSP), but those aren't for inexperienced programmers.

sir_creamy_

http://www.sun.com/training/certification/java/index.xml

t49

Thanks for the info guys

Tesl

If you have no programming experience at all, then I wouldn't even go for a certification straight off. Instead I'd advise trying to get comfortable with a few, perhaps firstly something like Python, and at some stage a language which deals with lower level memory management (such as C). That way you will be far better equipped at becoming strong with the languages suggested here, then you could take a cert or two if you liked.

I would also point out that I think programming certs overall hold less weight than most others here though, as programming proficiency can be more easily demonstrated in interviews / by past work.

t49

Tesl wrote:

If you have no programming experience at all, then I wouldn't even go for a certification straight off. Instead I'd advise trying to get comfortable with a few, perhaps firstly something like Python, and at some stage a language which deals with lower level memory management (such as C). That way you will be far better equipped at becoming strong with the languages suggested here, then you could take a cert or two if you liked.

I would also point out that I think programming certs overall hold less weight than most others here though, as programming proficiency can be more easily demonstrated in interviews / by past work.

Thanks man. I think i'm gonna start with python and read a couple books about C#

JDMurray

Tesl wrote:

I would also point out that I think programming certs overall hold less weight than most others here though, as programming proficiency can be more easily demonstrated in interviews / by past work.

Apples and oranges. Programming and IT certs are two different things and can't be compared on most levels. Either a programming shop knows and respects programming certs or they don't. You aren't going to find a situation where a programmer was hired because s/he had only an MCSE while the other job candidates only had MCSD/MCPD programming certs.

Programmers should strongly consider getting one or more programming certs because you can never know when those certs might be useful in getting a job. In fact, a software shop that recognizes certs is more likely to have good employee training and educations programs. Having programming certs on your resume may therefore increase your likelihood of getting a job with a more educationally-progressive employer.