I know that there are ALOT of different diet software programs out there but I've have found one thing and one thing only that bothers me, they are all still based on calories. Now I know that some people like to, and some people MUST count calories in order to lose weight. So far, I do not have to and I've lost 30 lbs (I just plain eat less now and don't think about food all the time). My idea is to learn some Visual Basic, in my free time (when ever that is) and make a diet program that makes calorie counting optional and carb counting essential. If you all like the idea I'll keep you posted on how its going and then maybe give you all a copy if it works well.

Great idea! Learning Visual Basic will definitely keep you busy. I happen to know a little VB myself. Never thought of a diet software program though. Keep us posted.

Good, maybe you could direct me to the best way to learn VB?

Visual basic is actually a fairly easy language, thanks to microsoft. The bad new, if you aren't a student ou have to shell out alot of money for the VB studio. The good new is once you have it, VB is as easy as a click of a button.

The current edition is Microsoft dot net which includes a VB and a C++ compiler. To best learn the language, how to use the software, and to get a good price on the software, I highly reocmend you look into courses at your local community college. They may have evening or flex time courses if you currently work.

If you can't become a student, then there are text books that can help. You will have to buy them and the software though. Whiel going back to school may sound expencive, it could be cheaper in the long run. You could also check www.bigwords.com for the best prices on visual basic books.

If you know Java or visual C++, the program could also be written in those languages. I think many of the online ones use a java base. Java is the one language I never learned though, so I couldn't help you there. I started with LPC, moved into visual basic, then on to C++. In my old college the java was later, and at uni here, java is the first class and one I was able to skip over.

You could do it strait text based in C, C++ or so on, but many users like the easy to read graphics fitday and other programs offer. If you really want to sink into the world of computer geekdom, there are shareware codes and group coding projects online you could get involved with. Start with blogs (online journals) and go form there

My luck comes in the form that I'm in graduate school and could take classes (I think) in programming. I'm not studying computer science so I don't know how practical it would be.

If it's like here, Java is the introductory course and anyone can take it no prereqs. Check and see what VB courses are offered. If thre are none go to your advisor, or someone inthe computer science department. Explain to them you want to learn this particular language. If you have 0 programming experience they may turn you away and tell you to take a introductory course. Otherwise you could pick up that particular language as an indipendent study if you can find a proffessor willing to teach you. Many programming languages can be mostly self tought with some guidence once you have programming basics down.

If you don't have the basics, then maybe a course could be best. Bad newz is at graduate level, they aren't high enough to count for anything (introductory courses would be 1000 -2000 level) so you would have to spend tuition and time on credits that don't go anywhere. It can still be good experience though. If you were an undergrad, then in some places computer programming can count as a math or a foriegn language credit to meet requirments.

Since you are a student though, a summer course or a small course in VB could be a good idea. You can get the education software at a fraction of the cost, and gain some vauable knowledge, even if all you do with is is impress chicks. (ok you'd get scary chicks like me, but hey it's an opening line)