According to TFA, I contribute more to society than you :P. (If giving money to record companies is a measure of societal contribution as you imply).

I never went to concerts or bought records until I started pirating music. I never bought textbooks for pleasure reading until I pirated textbooks. I never bought art creation programs, before pirating them all and finding the ones that suited me. I also never went sailing before I started pirating, but I don't think there is a correlation there. I wouldn't have to pirate if there was some sane trial and advertising didn't lie. As is, pirating is the only thing that allows me to make an informed use of my very limited financial resources. A disproportionate amount of which goes to the people I "stole" from.

I really hope those fall into the "Mostly things I've bought later." category.

I like the Logitech VX nano. While the flame bait of using a mouse while programming is quite tempting even to myself, in a rare moment of reflection, I realized I don't know everything, and occasionally I have to use the intrawebz to learn that which I do not know. Also, sometimes I must slashdot. On such occasions, I like the vx nano. The spinny scroll wheel, and right left scrolling ... lots of buttons. Very tiny receiver.

Simple programs teach how to work logically, and locally. The big picture or the big wtf will come later.

If you learned your CS material, someone out there can make money by having you do what they tell you to.

That said, I would recommend adding a scripting language to your skillset.

No one has to. Memes mutate. In this case in exiting your meme breeding ground, a (Score:5, Funny) mutation occurred. Sometimes the mutation enables the new meme to reproduce faster than it's parent and displace it. Though in this case. I think not.

I have been looking for something that I can develop on the go (needs battery life) as well as run the games I am devving (needs graphics card). This has me really excited. If it lives up I will probably be purchasing one.