OS programming

hello everyone,

i do not know whether this newsgroup is a right place to ask such questions but i did not find any other. if you know of any other then please tell me.

i was thinking from a long time that i should ask this question but i was putting off this intention as i think that doing OS-programming is very-much dificult than writing web-based-software. is it true?

also i want to ask if there is any money i can make by learning OS-programming either through job or my own startup?

REASON: on a personal basis,i want to become a core-contributor to Free-Software movement i want to put my time into OS programming (like HURD). so i was wondering if i can make some money in the commercial-corporate world througn this kind of skill. (ok not through HURD but through LINUX, i have seen RedHat people are giving certifications of LINUX programming to C programmers, may be such programmers can make money in the real-world.i dont know,).

also if both answers are +ve then what languages for OS programming (i know everyone will answer C but i am wandering into C++)

i will appreciate any kind of help.

thanks

-- arnuld