I'm an embedded C (and some C++) programmer by trade, but I'm feeling the
need to make myself more marketable in this job market (and .NET sounds
pretty cool anyway). So, with this goal, I bought "Programming Microsoft
..NET" by Jeff Prosise. I am enjoying the book, and learning C# in the
process. Having been almost exclusively in the embedded world for quite a
while, I don't really know the actual job market in Windows/Net programming
that well. Several questions have occurred to me while reading that I'm
hoping people on here that are knowledgeable about the industry could answer
for me.

First, is .NET currently being used for hard-core Windows development (i.e.
Office-type apps, as opposed to more Net-centric applications), or is it
still VC++ 6 (or something else?)? Two, considering the legions of C++
programmers out there, any idea what the ratio of C++.NET development vs.
C#.NET development is? I am a bit surprised to find myself liking C#, and
would rather use that, as it seems more of a natural fit for .NET. Or do I
need to learn both to be a good .NET programmer (perhaps they are similar
enough that learning both is trivial)? Lastly, for those that have been
developing Windows applications for a long time, do you like .NET/FCL
better, or do you prefer VC++ 6/MFC, and why?

Thank in advance.

Dan

hello there, let=B4s share some...

i am a c/c++ for sometime now and used to win32 and MFC=20
(some ATL), i took a look someday at the Java VM but did=20
not step through... then came .NET...and it is just=20
great. J# is what i think is nearest Java . C# is quite=20
similar (some semantics may changed) . NET is the first=20
step taken by microsoft to be fully OOP (like Java=20
is...). If you know OOP and study .NET, with time you=20
will see the languages are just semantics for=20
programming .net. It does not matter which one u use, it=20
is always for .net; if your background is embedded and u=20
use to low level programming with C and C++, i think you=20
should take a look at the C++ managed extension for .net;=20
C++ still enables you to make low level calls (say win32)=20
easily. You can also do it in vb.net or c# anyway. For me=20
the most productive language is C# and you can use a=20
feature called "unsafe code" that let use pointers just=20
like old c pointers (powerfull and dangerous...). There=20
is a lot of features (usually called interop) that=20
enables you to link the .net world and the oldest native=20
world.
=20
I do not think there is so much C# programmers, C# is=20
about 3 years old. For .net i think there is a lot of vb=20
programmers. i also think that with a good c++/OOP=20
background it will not be dificult to learn about=20
the .net framework.

U can use .net to build any type of applications u can=20
imagine.....desktop, web, windows services, mobile and=20
smart devices, and the reason why .net is .net: XML web=20
services to connect anything anywhere....(sounds like a=20
spot... :) )....

i do not use MFC for almost a year now, i did not make a=20
single native call yet (did not have too), not the=20
complex ATL World and COM....this is almost legacy code=20
now BUT it is nearest the machine....so that depends on=20
the application domain..; .net is a layer above, but i=20
think a good one...i also think it will get through the=20
future market...we will see....

bye, daniel.=20

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