Professional .NET Framework 2.0, Wrox
Microsoft .NET Framework, ASP.NET, Visual C# (CSharp, C Sharp, C-Sharp) Developer Training, Visual Studio
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C# Online.NET Book Review
I loved this book before I even got out of the Why I Wrote This Book section. Firstly, the author set out to write a book that he—himself—would enjoy reading. Secondly, he writes about the how and why and not just the what. Thirdly, he uses C# code to illustrate his points—the only reasonable choice for studying the internal workings of the .NET Framework. Fourthly, he—like the reviewer—was a Java developer who, initially, was not enamoured of Windows. Lastly, he chooses not to ignore the role of the Java language in the development of C# or prior art as he styles it. Here is an author after this reviewer's heart. And, he succeeds in every goal he set for his work: it is very readable, very informative, and does not—like so many other technical books—read like documentation culled from the Web.
How does the author succeed where so many others have fallen flat? I would argue that it is because of his background: He has developed with native Windows (COM, Win32), Java technology, and .NET—virtually, perfect credentials for the task at hand. And, he is currently the Program Manager on the Common Language Runtime (CLR) Team at Microsoft. I rest my case.
The book covers four broad areas:
- CLR Fundamentals - like Common Type System (CTS) and Assemblies.
- Base Framework Libraries - like I/O and Internationalization.
- Advanced CLR Services - like Security.
- Advanced Framework Libraries - like Diagnostics and Transactions.
The intended audience is the set of experienced, object-oriented programmers and developers who want to see beneath the Visual Studio level of understanding. This lets the author avoid the repetitive introductory material which weighs down so many similar books. However, the book is such an easy read that anyone who can write simple C# applications will be able to appreciate and profit from it.
As has been said, the examples are in C#. However, when it illustrates a point, comparative examples use C# and other .NET languages like F#, Python, Scheme, and Visual Basic .NET. Further, when appropriate, the equivalent of the C# code is given in Intermediate Language (IL). The chapter on the CLR features quite a lot of IL.
One thing I particularly appreciate about the book is that it is organized into bite-sized chunks. I am likely to read for a few minutes, put a book down, do something else—like try something I just read—, and then pick up the book again. This type of organization makes it possible to complete one or more sections at a sitting without having to search for my place on the page when I return. However, the organization is not factoid or choppy: the topics flow logically and read continuously from one topic to the next.
Lastly, I must mention that the book includes a grammatically correct HelloWorld program on page 82. They are very rare birds. This seemingly irrelevant datum indicates a grammatical awareness uncommon in a technical writer that contributes to both readability and understandability. Plus, such attention to detail is a great asset to a tech writer.
So, I highly recommend this book if you want to peek underneath the hood of the CLR and the .NET framework. Doing so—whatever your .NET language—, will make you a better programmer. This book has a permanent place in my library, and I refer to it often.
Bottom line
Professional .NET Framework 2.0 is enlightening, invaluable, and readable for experienced programmers.
Publisher's description
Professional .NET Framework 2.0: This book takes a hands on and example oriented approach to programming with the .NET Framework for experienced developers. This book is not about programming with any specific language or tool, rather it teaches the underlying commonalities that developers can use regardless of their language choice or development tools. Topics covered include CLR (Common Language Runtime), Generics, Assemblies, MSIL (Microsoft Intermediate Language), Base Framework Libraries - including networking, I/O, and internationalization, Advanced Framework Libraries
Book description
- Offering authoritative, field-proven advice from a Microsoft insider, this book teaches the underlying commonalities that developers can use regardless of their language choice or development tools.
- Extensive use of examples and working code provides developers with practical and authoritative coverage of the CLR (common language runtime) and APIs, the building blocks that make it possible to write in any choice of language.
- Primary topics discussed include generics, MSIL (Microsoft Intermediate Language)-based framework libraries, advanced framework libraries, distributed development foundations, and more.
- Version 2.0 is the version that provides the foundation for Visual Studio 2005.
From the back cover
As the .NET Framework and Common Language Runtime (CLR) continue to mature in terms of platform adoption, robustness, reliability, and feature richness, developers have an increasing need to understand the foundation on top of which all managed code runs. This book looks at the underlying platform commonalities that all developers can use, regardless of language choice or development tools. This includes languages such as C#, Visual Basic,® C++/CLI, and others.
You'll begin with an in-depth look at CLR fundamentals. From there, you'll review first the Base Class Libraries (BCL) and then the more advanced Framework libraries that are commonly used in most managed applications. With an abundance of working code examples and unique depth of coverage, this book will quickly get you up to speed on what the .NET Framework and CLR 2.0 have to offer.
What you will learn from this book
- Details of the CLR's architecture, including garbage collection, exceptions, just-in-time compilation, and the Common Type System
- How assemblies work and options for deployment, from executables to shared to private libraries
- Specific portions of the BCL, as well as advanced Framework libraries such as the new transaction libraries
- Advanced services of the CLR, such as the secure programming model and forms of isolation and concurrency
- How the CLR's rich metadata is used for dynamic programming and runtime code-generation
Who this book is for
This book is for developers experienced either with the Microsoft® (.NET 1.x, Win32, or COM) or Java platforms who want to understand and program with the .NET Framework and CLR.
Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.
About the author(s)
- Part One: CLR Fundamentals
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Common Type System
- Chapter 3: Inside the CLR
- Chapter 4: Assemblies, Loading, and Deployment
- Part Two: Base Framework Libraries
- Chapter 5: Fundamental Types
- Chapter 6: Arrays and Collections
- Chapter 7: I/O, Files, and Networking
- Chapter 8: Internationalization
- Part Three: Advanced CLR Services
- Chapter 9: Security
- Chapter 10: Threads, AppDomains, and Processes
- Chapter 11: Unmanaged Interoperability
- Part Four: Advanced Framework Libraries
- Chapter 12: Tracing and Diagnostics
- Chapter 13: Regular Expressions
- Chapter 14: Dynamic Programming
- Chapter 15: Transactions
- Appendix: IL Quick Reference
Other books in this series
- Professional .NET 2.0 Generics,Wrox
- Professional .NET Framework 2.0, Wrox
- Professional ADO.NET 2, Wrox
- Professional C# 2005, Wrox
- Professional Visual Studio 2005 Team System, Wrox
