kaled - 10:16 am on Oct 12, 2010 (gmt 0)

bhonda, I think you missed this comment...

I just want to create "business" type programs for my own use.

Way back in the dawn of time (the 1980s) it was possible to knock up something useful in a few hours or days. However, we have reached a point where there is so much free software available that to create something useful (i.e. that doesn't exist already) takes much longer.

At a hobbyist level, there may be more money to be made, more satisfaction and more fun to be had from taking up oil painting or writing, cooking or interior design, etc. To make money from programming you need a good idea, good skills, good promotion, backup from other people, luck and most of all, the ability to get your product out quickly because if you don't someone else will beat you to the punch.

Kaled.