>>Learning a second language (which to me, much like Mike, is pretty much a matter of changing flavors of ice cream)
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>>I agree with everything else, but I think learning a new language is more like learning to drive vs learning to fly. They both can get you from point a to point b, but the what/how/why is the tuff part.
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>Hate to disagree with you Jeff. Consider two points: One, every high level language has exactly three programming constructs (assignment statement, decision making structure, iteration structure) no more, no less. All else is language syntax and functionality. Second, regardless of the tool, you approach the problem in the same manner.
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Actually, you can construct a language without an iteration structure using only assignment and decision branching if you permit data indirection...dig out a copy of Knuth, volume 1, where he defines the minimum set of operators for his MIX language if you're particularly interested.

>Programming is about problem solving. It's one of the reasons I call myself a programmer, rather than a VFP programmer. (Ed's old sig "I'm Winston Wolf. I solve problems." comes to mind). The language used to solve the problem is nothing more than a tool.
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That's exactly correct. I've even stopped calling myself a programmer; I'm trying to get the machine to write the damned programs for me!

>Is learning syntactical differences a PITA? Sure, but especially in the case of a VB like language, we're not so much different. Even within the various VB type languages (VBA, VBScript, etc.) there are subtle differences in syntax.
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>The bottom line is that if some one is a good programmer in one language, it's only a matter of applying him/herself over a period of time to become equally as proficient in another.

Very true; most of the problems you run into are little things like which languages terminate a statement with a ";" and which one uses the ";" to continue to the next line!