I don't hate new languages. I hate that fact that I need 27 different programming and scripting languages on a weekly basis to accomplish my tasks. And for contracts in the Microsoft realm, it's a moving target that changes every two years.
As for project ideas, I usually port smaller projects that I've done for home, work or charity into the new language, then try to refine them using the appropriate patterns/style of the language. I've rewritten some semi-complex utilities in C#, JScript, PowerShell, Python and Ruby.
Since I deal mainly with databases, one idea that I've been playing with recently is grabbing public domain data from the FCC or the Census Bureau and building desktop or mobile apps with the results. Example: take the Amateur Radio License information from FCC.gov and build a application.
I don't hate new languages. I hate that fact that I need 27 different programming and scripting languages on a weekly basis to accomplish my tasks. And for contracts in the Microsoft realm, it's a moving target that changes every two years.
As for project ideas, I usually port smaller projects that I've done for home, work or charity into the new language, then try to refine them using the appropriate patterns/style of the language. I've rewritten some semi-complex utilities in C#, JScript, PowerShell, Python and Ruby.
Since I deal mainly with databases, one idea that I've been playing with recently is grabbing public domain data from the FCC or the Census Bureau and building desktop or mobile apps with the results. Example: take the Amateur Radio License information from FCC.gov and build a application.