c#.net

According to Microsoft, C# is a language that provides the power of C++ with the simplicity of Visual Basic. And in many ways it does.

I wouldn't call it a successor to C++, but it looks very similar syntactically. Actually, it is in many ways more similar to Java - syntactically. We're doing Java in our University and I've had absolutely no problems transfering that knowledge over to C#. So if you know one you'll pretty much know the other - it's the larger picture you need to consider - the platforms each one connects to.

If you want to get involved with C# you should be looking at the .NET Framework and its Base Class Library (BCL) - If you program with C# you'll definitely be using those classes in your programs.

Here's a goodC# site... csharphelp.com - They have good concise articles covering specific topics... I'm not sure how useful it will be to a beginner since it doesn't provide a tutorial - but check it out anyway if you're interested.

Personally, I would startwith either C# or Java and then move down to C++, if you're interested. C# and Java protect you from a lot of things that can really get you into trouble with C++ and development time is much shorter. Ultimately, it's up to you and your background.
HTH

Cheers!