[.net] Noob Q: What is .Net?
Author
I hear a lot about it, what is it? Is it how applications communicate through things like XML?
.NET is a framework and as such provides you with a shitload of stuff.
You can communicatie to it with alot of languages like, C++, C#, Basic and Delphi). And as always it mitigates risks because you don't have to program all components you want in your application yourself.
.NET 2.0 is avalailable with quite some changes from version 1.1 so be aware of the different versions if you want to work with it.
Link:
Microsoft .NET
Starik.
You can communicatie to it with alot of languages like, C++, C#, Basic and Delphi). And as always it mitigates risks because you don't have to program all components you want in your application yourself.
.NET 2.0 is avalailable with quite some changes from version 1.1 so be aware of the different versions if you want to work with it.
Link:
Microsoft .NET
Starik.
.Net is a term that Microsoft seems to apply to far too many things they make. Here are a couple of broad-level links from Microsoft: What Is .NET?, .NET FAQ.
As it relates to programmers, it is more often considered to refer to the .NET Framework. The .NET Framework is a combination of the CLR (common language runtime) which enable different languages (such as C#, VB.NET, C++/CLI) to compile to the same code and work identically, and the FCL (framework class libraries) which is a bunch of components, algorithms, what-have-you that can be used from languages using the CLR. (.NET Framework FAQ)
As it relates to programmers, it is more often considered to refer to the .NET Framework. The .NET Framework is a combination of the CLR (common language runtime) which enable different languages (such as C#, VB.NET, C++/CLI) to compile to the same code and work identically, and the FCL (framework class libraries) which is a bunch of components, algorithms, what-have-you that can be used from languages using the CLR. (.NET Framework FAQ)
Quote:I hear a lot about it, what is it? Is it how applications communicate through things like XML?
.NET has really nice support for XML thats why most apps use it.
.NET 3.0 (formerly WinFX) will have it's own XML kinda markup language XAML (eXtensible Applicataion Markup Language) to create forms and dialogues.
Quote:Original post by capn_midnight
It's like Java, only tastey, and fulfilling of the soul.
but since it is from microsoft it only runs on windows. :( also there is a linux port called Mono ( http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page ) but isn't quite complete.
Quote:.NET is a framework and as such provides you with a shitload of stuff.
such as
- Managed DirectX
- ASP.NET ( cgi equialent )
- Interop ( natvie wrapper support )
but find out yourself and you might get addicted too ;)
btw: Windows Vista will have .NET Framework 3.0 as "default" program environment as far as they said ( as usually M$ isn't able to make up their mind, except if its about piracy )
Quote:Original post by capn_midnight
It's like Java, only tastey, and fulfilling of the soul.
Hey man, don't be dissin' coffee! A lot of junkies out there need it to get through the day. :P
Anyway, I have nothing more to contribute than what's already been said. :)
I have a question. From what I've seen, the structure is similar to what you might find at the heart of borland's VCL or other classes that 'wrap up' Win32. Does .NET add to the Win32 createWindow and WndProc ect with better memory management, a new form of executable and more Object Oriented or is it a completly new windows system?
I guess .NET's window classes are ultimately a wrapper around CreateWindow, since you can query a window object for its Win32 window handle. For memory management, the .NET languages use garbage collection. If you're interested, I recommend downloading Visual C# Express and trying some stuff.
There is a lot to know about .NET. it's a huge subject, and it's pretty much all cutting edge and very cool to boot.
It's all been designed with a lot of intelligence. Very little feels 'bolted on later', which was what gave java it's bad aftertaste.
Because .Net code is compiled the first time it is run on the PC, there are significantly more opportunities to improve security, tailor performance and also to provide better error reporting at runtime. (and many, many other benifits - simple example is memory is no longer managed by the individual application)
An example of this is that if you have a .dll, you can easily find out *everything* you can do with it. Simply add it to your project and instantly you can use it. No more hidden code, no more header files, no more documentation hunts, no more linker errors, a lot more productivity.
Another example is security. Say you have a .dll, you find it at runtime, by letting the user select it (!!) normally this would be extremly dangerous. However with security policies you can run that code with only execute permissions (for example). This would mean that everything from access to the file system, to the GUI and threads are off limits and simply won't work.
Everything in .net is *very* strict, and that is a *very* good thing.
These are simple examples of advantages of what a managed language like .net can bring. Consider just these few and imagine the incredible number of problems with current languages that instantly are made so much easier.
in .net a lot of data is store or transfered in XML. this simply prevents the 'black box' file formats of the past. For example when you remote an object (get access to an object that may not be on your machine, ie a remote object) data transfered between is serialized in SOAP, which is based on XML. So you can have an object which you use in your code, however everything you do with it will get sent via the network (eg, http, tcp), yet your code is virtually no different. This, btw, is really cool :-)
eg:
[smile]
I really like .net.
It's all been designed with a lot of intelligence. Very little feels 'bolted on later', which was what gave java it's bad aftertaste.
Because .Net code is compiled the first time it is run on the PC, there are significantly more opportunities to improve security, tailor performance and also to provide better error reporting at runtime. (and many, many other benifits - simple example is memory is no longer managed by the individual application)
An example of this is that if you have a .dll, you can easily find out *everything* you can do with it. Simply add it to your project and instantly you can use it. No more hidden code, no more header files, no more documentation hunts, no more linker errors, a lot more productivity.
Another example is security. Say you have a .dll, you find it at runtime, by letting the user select it (!!) normally this would be extremly dangerous. However with security policies you can run that code with only execute permissions (for example). This would mean that everything from access to the file system, to the GUI and threads are off limits and simply won't work.
Everything in .net is *very* strict, and that is a *very* good thing.
These are simple examples of advantages of what a managed language like .net can bring. Consider just these few and imagine the incredible number of problems with current languages that instantly are made so much easier.
in .net a lot of data is store or transfered in XML. this simply prevents the 'black box' file formats of the past. For example when you remote an object (get access to an object that may not be on your machine, ie a remote object) data transfered between is serialized in SOAP, which is based on XML. So you can have an object which you use in your code, however everything you do with it will get sent via the network (eg, http, tcp), yet your code is virtually no different. This, btw, is really cool :-)
eg:
MyRemoteObject obj = Activator.GetObject("http:\\www.myweb.com\remoteobj") as MyRemoteObject;//code is actually running on server when this is calledstring result = obj.DoSomeFunkyStuffOnTheServer();if (result == "woo") // server returned back some value... Console.WriteLine("yay!!!");//yay!!!power of .net. The 'MyRemoteObject' may look like:class MyRemoteObject : MarshalByRefObject{ public string DoSomeFunkyStuffOnTheServer() { //... logic return "woo"; }}ie, nothing special. Except it's somewhere out there, in the wonders of the interweb.[smile]
I really like .net.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
