I have a question and would appreciate it if anyone is kind enough to answer. Is it possible to go from little programming knowledge to fully fluent in C++ in 2 - 3 years? Fluent enough to get a job, that is. I'm under no impression that it will be a glamourous job, at first. I know it will be at the bottom of the totem pole. I wouldn't mind at all being the guy who looks through tends of thousands of lines of code making sure == is not written as =, and being the coffee maker.
I have a 2 year CIS degree, with tech support experience, but that has little to do with programming. I enjoyed my programmng classes the most, so I've decided to pursue it. I've done research into many languages, and the capabilities of C++ interests me the most.
I'm taking a mature approach to studying. I put in atleast 10 hours a week studying and writing code. I'm working through O'Reilly's Practical C++, the tutorials on here, and I'm going to pick up Bjarne Stroustroups book "Programming: Principles and Practice using C++", which is the textbook he uses for some of his C++ courses at Texas A&M. It's not easy material, but I find I can grasp the material I encounter, which is still in the basic stage.
I want to know if my 2 (or 3) year goal is too idealistic. I don't know anyone locally that is a programmer (small town). I know most people pursue the 4 year degree with internships, but self study is my only option. I plan on studying and pursuing this as a career either way, but would greatly appreciate any feedback!