I need suggestions for learning

[jjessico]

Being back to school time(finally my last year at college) I'm enrolled in a networking theory class. My background is good to go as far as networks and general computing, but we are required to complete a programming project that utilizes a network, such as coding an IM Client & IM Server or some similar idea.

I am extremely weak in programming having only two semesters of VB.net, in which we didn't really do much.

So I need to start learning a language asap that will make this project a possibility. I have heard it is easy to program network applications in Java.

So:
1)What language should I work on?
2)What is a good book I can pick up at B&N to get my journey started?

Thanks,
J

 

[aceO07]

You can stick with vb.net and see if they have sample code that you can use. Google chat client/server code and you'll find something. You should learn it in a language that you may want to stick with, unless you have no interest in that.

 

[tfinch2]

The class doesn't require you to program in a particular language?

 

[AlfB]

Something I have always thought about doing was to build an app that would continually watch something like the stock market and automatically email/text me when certain conditions are met. I know you can get that type of thing from some places but the point is to do your own. Just a thought. It might be too simple but its a thought.