>Conversely, and before .NET, programmers were forced to learn new languages periodically in order to remain competitive. With .NET, this (hopefully) is no longer the case. .NET is bringing our profession closer to the medical profession in that the controlling language itself will no longer change much (C# and VB.NET)

Sorry to pop your bubble.
MS thrives on change and has no problem throwing your baby out with their bathwater.

MS makes money when business *must* change computing systems.

Look at the ride from Dos to Windows - Lotus 123, Word Perfect, and Ashton Tate all died on that trip.
Look at how many times VB has changed database access models.
Look at COM. That was a fast trip from hot to not.
Look at the "DNA Architecture" gone and forgotten in a few years.

I am not saying C# is not good.
I like it.

It's just that your sigh of relief that the era of rapid change is over is a bit premature. <g>
My bet is that change will be rapid and accelerating.

Sorry.