If you want to program professionally then IMO there's no better way to understand the nitty-gritty than doing things by hand. I learned java using notepad and javac from a dos prompt and so I feel that I know what's going on under the hood.

Once you have a grip on the basics you can move on to using RAD (thats 'rapid application development') tools like dotnet.

You'll then find you understand what it is that the tools are doing for you. And be able to fix/change/tailor the things the RAD tool can't do. After all that's what programmers get paid for!

just my tuppenceworth

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Don't Stand on your head - you'll get footprints in your hair
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