Software Development as a Career
Don't I have to major in computer science?
No, you have to know how to write code. A great deal of the CS major is
not devoted to writing code, so the answer is no, you don't have to
major in CS. Most professional software developers tell me that they
never use the vast majority of their university training. Of course
it is a positive to be aware of the theory of compilers and lexical
analysis, but this theory is not a part of the job for the typical
programmer.
What language should I learn?
You should learn at least one scripting language (Python is the
obvious candidate) and at least one full-scale programming language
(probably Java or C++). Depending on what you plan to do,
special-purpose languages such as R (for statistics) can also be
helpful. And of course if you want write the next "Angry Birds",
smartphone application development is a field of its own.
How do I earn the $500,000 you mentioned?
Ha! $500,000 is nothing! My startup is worth $10 billion!