Looking to make transition your sugestions

[Rick]

I have been a programmer professionally for 4 years, using microsoft and
doing vb later to move to c# then career move forced me back to vb.net. I
am tired of working in microsoft programming realm and working with the
usually microsoft programmer type that gives developers a bad name. I have
taken upon myself to starting learning Java, beyound the basics that any
developer can do. My question, after a few months of self training maybe
even get the java cert, just to help the resume since I will not have
professonal java experience, how would one make this move? I want to make
the java jump because most java programmers I know seem to actually love
their jobs where almost all microsoft developers I know seem to just think
of it as a job, you 8 to 5, they went to college to get nice paying job
programming was there and now they have their 8-5 nice paying job but don't
care about computers, some don't know how to operate computers.

 

[Tony Morris]

I have been a programmer professionally for 4 years, using microsoft and
doing vb later to move to c# then career move forced me back to vb.net. I
am tired of working in microsoft programming realm and working with the
usually microsoft programmer type that gives developers a bad name. I have
taken upon myself to starting learning Java, beyound the basics that any
developer can do. My question, after a few months of self training maybe
even get the java cert, just to help the resume since I will not have
professonal java experience, how would one make this move? I want to make
the java jump because most java programmers I know seem to actually love
their jobs where almost all microsoft developers I know seem to just think
of it as a job, you 8 to 5, they went to college to get nice paying job
programming was there and now they have their 8-5 nice paying job but don't
care about computers, some don't know how to operate computers.

I suggest you look at Sun Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform 1.4
(aka SCJP) [pre-requisities: none]
http://suned.sun.com/US/catalog/courses/CX-310-035.html

Following that, is Sun Certified Developer for the Java 2 Platform (aka
SCJD) [pre-requisities: SCJP]
http://suned.sun.com/US/certification/java/java_devj2se.html

Once you have a few more years under your belt, you might start looking at
Sun Certified Enterprise Architect for the J2EE Platform (aka SCEA)
[pre-requisities: none] which I am currently in the middle of.

Of course, all of these certifications will require extensive time and
study, especially since you have stated that you have no experience with
Java at all.

--
Tony Morris
(BInfTech, Cert 3 I.T., SCJP[1.4], SCJD)
Software Engineer
IBM Australia - Tivoli Security Software
Home : +61 7 5502 7987
Work : +61 7 5552 4076
Mobile : 0408 711 099
(2003 VTR1000F)

 

[Fredrik Lannergren]

*snip*

Of course, all of these certifications will require extensive time and
study, especially since you have stated that you have no experience with
Java at all.

Mmmm...unless SJCP and SCJD changed radically (not too unlikely...) since I
did them in early '99, he can probably get away with a couple months of
concentrated study; it took me, an average-IQ code monkey, three months from
scratch with only C experience under my belt. Given that he already knows C#
which I heard is very similar in many aspects, it'll hopefully take less
time for him.

Not that I have had any use of those certifications whatsoever...

However, that's not quite what the OP asked, from what I can see. He wanted
to know how he could, among other things, gain marketability and experience
_after_ taking those certs.

If you have the time, Rick, I'd recommend joining one of those sourceforge
(www.sourceforge.net) projects....preferably one where they don't mind
teaching you as you go. Then you may learn new practical things and
hopefully have something to show potential new employers.

HTH,
Fredrik

 

[Rich Hajinlian]

Not for anything Rick but..............

Microsoft and Unix type programmers are not to different of an "animal". I
don't understand how you can make the statement that a Microsoft programmer
give developers a "bad name". Sounds like you have some personal, not
professional issues to work out here (besides your english and communication
skills) ;-)

If you like Java/UNIX and that realm, go for it and don't worry, if you can
talk the talk and carry the day your all set. Otherwise both development
environments are great and the people are also. There are enthusiastic
programmers for both OS's (Been in this biz for almost 20 years).\

Good luck in your "new" career.



Rich.