For what it's worth, a quick take from a newbie developer and .NET ... When I first started a couple of years back to make a serious effort to learn some coding/dev skills, I looked at Perl, Python, Java a couple of smaller toolsets. I ended up deciding to learn .NET first, starting with C# as the language and VS 2005 and now, 2008 as the toolsets. Here's why:
Documentation: It was just easier to find for .NET in respect to complete-newbie level documentation. Having someone hold my hand was 100% necessary at that time, and the .NET community did it the best. I can't overstate how important that was while I was 'browsing' around trying to decide what to commit to and learn. And the Visual Studio interface seemed to have immense potential, yet still be more intuitive than other toolsets. General public use: I love Linux, have used it off and on for years. I respect the MAC OS. But 99.9999999 % of everyone I've ever met uses Windows. Seemed like a no-brainer to develop for this market, and .NET is what VS2005 and 2008 seemed to be made for. Language: why C#? It was new, and the obvious darling of MS, and had support for all the new MS things like the mobile phone OS's, Xbox360 and more. VB struck me as having .NET bolted on. C++ looked light a nightmare compared to the relative simplicity of managed code. Java, Python, etc... cool, but without the documentation at the level and volume of it I needed, it seemed pointless. So I'm in now and have shipped my first C# product and have a reasonable handle on simple use of the VS interface and probably most importantly, have learned fundamentals of programming to enough of a degree so maybe I could at least have a walking-start if I wanted to move to a different toolset or language. When .NET evolves into something different we'll see what happens but I think I made the right choice in choosing .NET and C#. David Smith Systems Administrator Doan Family of Dealerships (585) 352-6600 ext.1730 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Crooks Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 3:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Design Question On Friday, April 11, 2008 3:25 PM Ed Leafe wrote: > Depth is necessary only to the level to which it needs to be used. I actually like a lot of the .net architecture, as it *finally* >shows that they have been learning good design practices that have been common in other systems. I like C# to the same degree that I >like Java. > This is what I mean by SET DEFAULT TO MICROSOFT in the minds of many. >While the .net framework is a good one, it is hardly compellingly better than others to justify the costs and lock-in that would be >required to select that as a solution. I have seen the .NET framework to evolving pretty quickly lately with 3.0 and 3.5, that I think it is too early to tell who is better? I also don't the "lock-in" is as bad you make it out to be. As VFP developer, I have been locked into Windows. I don't care... I haven't found any compelling better reason not to use Windows/VFP/SQL Server/IE/Outlook/Office or anyone to pay me otherwise. YMMV. David L. Crooks [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
