Your age does not play as large a role as you may think. In 2004, I had 13+ years of experience in pure software on the odometer, but - due to mental illness - first lost my job, then became homeless. I did the only thing I was still able to do: I walked. All over Europe. Homeless, but not giving in. Once back in my home country, in 2006, I managed to settle down again: the clouds in my head had cleared, and a large aerospace constructor gave me chance. I was 39 years old, and it started a great ride in my career, one that I am still on.

What I did, you can do. As to the language: there is not really a problem discernible to me. You probably already master C, or a C-like language. The jump to C++ is not that hard, in that case. Otherwise, you might want to consider ADA, a stunningly elegant language that could very well land you jobs with e.g. Rockwell, Boeing etc. etc. ( assuming you are in the USA ). Good luck, and do not forget: it is not your success that counts - it is the fact that you keep trying.

Mod parent up. Here in Europe things are going - slowly - into the right direction. Especially Germany could be, by 2040, for about 80% dependent upon renewable energy forms. But hey, the sun is going down over the US anyway. Another half century and the country will have dwindled towards something like France now: great history, thinking of themselves as "a great nation", but mainly irrelevant to the rest of the world.

Kryptodrakon progenitor. I am getting a second dog, soon - this name might just fit the li'l bastard well.

MINUS 39something, mister. You are on about PLUS 40. 79 Fahrenheit off. You should check your numbers before spouting statements with such arrogance.

Mercury can't plunge to -85 degrees Fahrenheit. It solidifies at -37.8922 degrees Fahrenheit. Fail.

I don't know about the US, but here in Europe there are quite lively user and enthusiast communities around the older models. Especially the old Saab 900, the one with the "beak" spoiler on the back, became iconic and still stands, as an image, for everything Saab had to offer. It is loved not for a small part by women, BTW. There is an informal market for spare parts, paint jobs, engine tuning etc. etc., especially in Britain. I recently saw a black 9000 Aero, in perfect state and with around 100,000 kms on the tachometer, being sold by a dealership for around € 8000. Saab is very much alive :-)

I fell in love with 9000 a long time ago, as it has such rocket-on-wheels qualities which are amazing for a large, heavy sedan. When you hit the gas pedal on a highway ramp you are literally pushed back into the deep leather seats. It is not without a reason that the Swedish police had them as patrol cars for a long time. The thing is a beast of a car - a very, very reliable beast.

I have a 1990 Saab 9000, with all the original parts. It is close to hitting the 400,000 kilometer mark. The "onboard computer", as it is grandly called ( basically a piece of electronics computing instantaneous and average fuel consumption, as well as capable of predicting ETA based on a rolling speed average ) still works perferctly. Just like the Bosch cassette player. And the engine.

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey / where wealth accumulates, and men decay

Oliver Goldsmith, "The deserted village", 1770. Also, "Ill fares the land" is the title of a book by Tony Judt that many of us western people would do very, very well to read.

There is nothing so rewarding, to me, as to code and design software. Why would I stop ? Why would I suddenly let all that joy cease and become a vegetable at age 60-something ? Slowly moving, with 20 years experience as of this year, into consultancy is my preparation for the future. The retirement money I put into my European state's national retirement scheme can serve other people - I want to die in the harness.

I have been fighting for years against religion, "the great orgasmatron". Kewl to see that I am not alone. Wit less religion, the US of America can only become a better country.

Misunderstanding. There is a Chodov that is a suburb of Karlovy Vary. I did not check that there is also a Chodov close to Prague. In fact, I am not in the least interested in Oracle. Sorry for your hurt feelings. Next time I go to Prague ( which is slightly over 3 hrs driving from here ), I'll bring you a hair from the Golem. Do you feel better now ?

Hm. The Golem leaving the Prague ghetto and wreaking havoc at Chodov, which belongs to the administrative district of Karlovy Vary - that would be an historical first. The defenestration of tradition, so to say :-)

He was quite polite to me, pointing out that Oracle had already hired him to shovel Big Data. "My salary is a hype, but I am in for the spell and the hype only, anyways". After which we drank one of those excellent Czech beers and went our separate ways.