Finally: be aware that "programming" isn't "programming".

There is the highly scientific number crunching: you need a solid mathematical background to even understand the algorithms involved and many times in-depth technical knowledge of the environment you program for. Applications typically needing such skills include: signal processing, simulations, graphics, realtime applications, optimization (operations research), statistics and all sorts of scientific applications.

There is the frontend-oriented business programming: you need a lot of organisatorial skills, you need to have communication skills (most customers have no idea what they want and it is your first job to clarify that with them). You will not need more math than the basic arithmetical operations, but you will have to fit into an organization, whereas the people writing the high-tech stuff can get away with being autistic (or acting that way). Knowledge about database programming is a must in this area, so picking up SQL is a good idea.

There is the hardware-oriented programming: drivers, embedded systems, all sorts of odd one-time-programmables, microcontrollers and the like. You will need a solid knowledge of Assembler (standard language in many of these cases), a well-filled algorithmic toolbox (you shouldn't need any time to think about how to compute a parity bit, for instance), but you mostly do not need that good math background you will need for scientific programming.

Finally, there is what i call "ad hoc programming": scripting, writing helpers which make daily life easier, etc.. This is mostly done in two areas: Web Development (PHP, perl, ruby, Phyton, ...) and systems administration. You will not need all too much programming skills at all, but it will in turn only be part of your work: in systems administration, for instance, you write scripts besides doing your main work, which is - administrating systems!

I hope this helps.

bakunin