Introduction

Before we start our journey into the C# language, let s step back and look at the bigger picture. C# is a key part of Microsoft s new .NET initiative. The Redmond view of .NET is that is provides a development platform for the Internet, while at the same time providing new application programming interfaces (API) to the Windows operating system. Internet development can come in many forms, but the key components of the .NET platform are Web Services, which will be discussed in this chapter.

The .NET platform is much more than a new language, a software development kit (SDK), or even an operating system. It offers powerful new services, a new processor-independent binary format, new managed languages, managed language extensions to existing languages, and more. These new tools will empower you to create amazing Internet applications, but effective use of these tools requires a firm background knowledge of the .NET platform.

According to Microsoft, they are devoting 80 percent of the company s resources to the development of .NET. This results in a platform that encompasses and touches almost all segments of the computer industry. For the programmer segment of the industry, C# is the most important tool. C# is designed specifically to create .NET applications; therefore it is essential that we learn the relevant aspects of .NET before we get started. This chapter discusses the overall .NET platform and its importance to application development. It introduces not only technological concepts, but also the terminology used to describe them. It...