C#?

[Alaa]

What benefits do I get after learning C#? What kinds of software that get developed on C#? Finally, what other languages do you recommend?

Thanks.

[dxx]

You don't really explain a great deal about who this "I" person is. Are you a developer already? All answers are relative.

Assuming you're a n00b -


1) You'll gain the benefit of being able to write your own applications. This is something I, as someone largely dissatisfied with the majority of the general-purpose output of most commercial developers, find immeasurably useful. You, for example, might install an adware-laden tweak app to change your system settings after a fresh reinstall of Windows. You might need to install two, as one doesn't offer all the options you want. I spent an hour coding my own. I win.

2) ...lots. I can't imagine any 3D programmers using it as their primary choice (although D3D functionality is available), but it serves most purposes nicely when it comes to producing GUI and command-line applications for both Windows and Mobile (that is, WinCE, etc) platforms.

3) I don't so much recommend, more just prefer Visual Basic. It's the simplest language there is, it's the quickest to write apps in, and its object-oriented design fills me with inner joy. Having dabbled in other languages, I've not seen anything more pleasingly obedient than VB. But then, I don't write any low-level code or deal wth anything that needs break-neck performance, so my perception of it isn't universal.

[jcrox]

C# is often used with ASP.NET for web applications

[Alaa]

I am thinking about working as a programmer (in a company) after I graduate (Or anything related to database if I failed in programming ). So, I decided to ask here to get more knowledge about how this stuff works after graduation. Thanks for the already posted replies but if you have more advice, feel free to post more replies. And yeah I am still a n00b.

[yehuda]

You can build .NET applications using C# (including asp.net sites).
In case you didn't already, check these sites:
http://www.asp.net/
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vcsharp/default.aspx

[walterman]

It's the heart of .NET

It's also the perfect language for Java programmers that want to start into .NET

It's really easy to write applications for mobile devices, web, databases, ...

The best part of .NET & with difference is the IDE.

I can debug an application & change the code on the fly, move the execution flow, check the content of the objects, change them, ... connect to databases & use them to fill the controls, ...

The tools for the programmers is the area where Micro$oft shines the most.

You also can write Direct3D applications easily, and you can use the XNA to develop for your 360 too.

The performance of C# is very good too. It isn't C++ of course, but, really fast too. Also, it's easy to multi-thread an application with C#. It even has components to create background workers.

Personally, i love C# & .NET. The best thing that Micro$oft has created. They make my developer life more easy

[Alaa]

Thanks for your great replies. walterman, I like C# too and I want to start my way in it from now on. Anyone has books to recommend? From beginners books (to fill in the gaps of the fundamental stuff in my head) to advanced ones.

I also want to have a background about Visual Basic, SQL and to be specific oracle. Is this a perfect combination of knowledge in programming?

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by Alaa

What benefits do I get after learning C#? What kinds of software that get developed on C#? Finally, what other languages do you recommend?

Thanks.

if youre going to start programming, i would start with C and C++ since these are the two most accepted languages. then move on to proprietary MS stuff like C# and VB.

you will also find that when you move onto the MS stuff, they will be ridiculously easy because much of the memory/variable management that C and C++ require, are taken care of by MS's languages/IDE's.

[jcrox]

Originally Posted by ViN86

if youre going to start programming, i would start with C and C++ since these are the two most accepted languages. then move on to proprietary MS stuff like C# and VB.

you will also find that when you move onto the MS stuff, they will be ridiculously easy because much of the memory/variable management that C and C++ require, are taken care of by MS's languages/IDE's.

I think that's more of a regional thing, there are no C and C++ jobs in my area, there are very few .NET jobs of any sort in my area, they're almost all Java

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by jcrox

I think that's more of a regional thing, there are no C and C++ jobs in my area, there are very few .NET jobs of any sort in my area, they're almost all Java

from my experience, if you know C/C++, you can apply this across many other languages, and you can get a job. i agree though, it's a regional thing.

[rhink]

Originally Posted by Alaa

Thanks for your great replies. walterman, I like C# too and I want to start my way in it from now on. Anyone has books to recommend? From beginners books (to fill in the gaps of the fundamental stuff in my head) to advanced ones.

I also want to have a background about Visual Basic, SQL and to be specific oracle. Is this a perfect combination of knowledge in programming?

C#, VB, even Java will have less of a learning curve than C++. As far as what's a "perfect combination", it depends on what you want to do, I guess. I'd be happy going the rest of my life without touching VB again, but to each his own. I don't think I'd be happy with most of your typical web/database programming jobs out there, so there's things I tend to de-emphasize the importance of.

HOWEVER, I agree with vin about just starting with C++ (though if you already know a little of something else, I could certainly understand that biasing your decision). The main difference in learning curve is memory management, and learning pointers. Understanding how pointers/referencing works is going to make your life easier in darn near any language, including the ones referenced above (though you can get away without it in most garbage collected languages, it still helps). The main difference is, going from C++ to Java or a .NET language is pretty simple- going the other way, not so much, because you'll be clueless when it comes to memory management and pointers if you go that route.

I learned C++ out of "C++ How to program" by Deitel and Deitel... adequate... nothing spectacular... /shrug. Of course the C++ Bible is "The C++ Programming Language" by Stroustrup, but it's more of a reference volume than a textbook. Though if you have a little bit of programming experience under your belt, that may suffice.

I learned Java out of "Java in a nutshell". Still more of a reference book.... though again, once you have an object oriented language under your belt, it's not that hard to move between 'em with a little bit of sample code to get you started.

I do think you should pick a language and master it. Once you've done that's relatively easy to pick up another language from a few code samples and online references, esp one with a similar paradigm (ie, once you pick up the basic concepts and syntax of any OOP language, it's pretty friggin simple to start coding in a different one pretty quickly).

[Alaa]

Originally Posted by rhink

C#, VB, even Java will have less of a learning curve than C++. As far as what's a "perfect combination", it depends on what you want to do, I guess. I'd be happy going the rest of my life without touching VB again, but to each his own. I don't think I'd be happy with most of your typical web/database programming jobs out there, so there's things I tend to de-emphasize the importance of.

HOWEVER, I agree with vin about just starting with C++ (though if you already know a little of something else, I could certainly understand that biasing your decision). The main difference in learning curve is memory management, and learning pointers. Understanding how pointers/referencing works is going to make your life easier in darn near any language, including the ones referenced above (though you can get away without it in most garbage collected languages, it still helps). The main difference is, going from C++ to Java or a .NET language is pretty simple- going the other way, not so much, because you'll be clueless when it comes to memory management and pointers if you go that route.

I learned C++ out of "C++ How to program" by Deitel and Deitel... adequate... nothing spectacular... /shrug. Of course the C++ Bible is "The C++ Programming Language" by Stroustrup, but it's more of a reference volume than a textbook. Though if you have a little bit of programming experience under your belt, that may suffice.

I learned Java out of "Java in a nutshell". Still more of a reference book.... though again, once you have an object oriented language under your belt, it's not that hard to move between 'em with a little bit of sample code to get you started.

I do think you should pick a language and master it. Once you've done that's relatively easy to pick up another language from a few code samples and online references, esp one with a similar paradigm (ie, once you pick up the basic concepts and syntax of any OOP language, it's pretty friggin simple to start coding in a different one pretty quickly).

Thanks for your reply. I started learning Java in my university then I took a small course about C++ and YES I was clueless when it came to pointers! But things went well later.

Anyway, in Java I could create GUI and I learned about OOP:Inheritance-Encapsulation-Exceptions I don't know if there were other stuff but I don't think they were deep enough to make me fully everything. So, I want to make a clean start to make up for everything I missed. btw, what language is mostly used in modern games?

Also don't forget to enlighten me with your "perfect combination".