C# or not

Alright,

I've been sitting around all week wondring whether or not I should try my hands at C#.

Why should I try a new language, when I'm comfortable with the one I'm using now(VB.Net)?

I would ultimatley like to learn c++, is c# going to make that an easier learning curve? I've tried c++.net and from what I've seen its tough!

So could you guys please point me in the right direction!

One more additional note I've only been programming for 2 years, so I'm still very "green" but theres nothing I'd rather do.

If your ultimate goal is C++, just byte (pun?) the bullet and learn it.

If you want to not venture to far from vb.net, then C# would be a good stepping stone. It gets you used to the syntax that the other popular languages use... ( like the semi-colons at the end of statements, the curly brackets, flow control statements, etc). From there, the syntax won't be the obsticle, just the different ways of thinking for each language. Libraries are also a big hurdle to learning new languages now a days. With C#, you don't have to learn a new library, the framework is the same for vb.net and C#.

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Originally posted by Hole-In-One
I would ultimatley like to learn c++, is c# going to make that an easier learning curve? I've tried c++.net and from what I've seen its tough!

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If your ultimate goal is to learn C++, then just learn it. C++ is not a difficult language, it's the programmers who make it difficult on themselves.

Yeah, I guess if I could go back and start all over again I think I would've just started out with c++, instead of VB.Net. I think the reason why I find it so tough is because its nothing like VB. Just something in my head made me think it was going to have more similarities that than there really is.

I just need to start with an open mind and forget about vb!!:)

If you want a stepping stone from VB to C++ use C# as C# was developed to take the bests of C/C++ and Java without the bad sides. I have heard some accounts from people I know in real life saying that C# helped them understand c++ better then they already knew. So if going from VB to C++ you have 2 choices:

1. go right to C++ (like the others said)
2. use C# as a stepping stone as it was developed around C/C++ and java.(I recomend this as it will make it a little simpler to learn In my opinion)

Also note that part of the new MS os known as Longhorn is programmed in C#. Not that this is important :D

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Originally posted by Tek
If you want a stepping stone from VB to C++ use C# as C# was developed to take the bests of C/C++ and Java without the bad sides.

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That isn't entirely true, C++ still has good things about it C# never copied like Templates (I wish templates were added to C#)

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Originally posted by Tek
Also note that part of the new MS os known as Longhorn is programmed in C#. Not that this is important :D

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Most of the top level stuff like explorer and such are made in C# with the .NET framework for longhorn, however, most of the important things like the kernel will still be written in C++ or perhaps some C# but the framewrok won't be used.

Microsoft has a diagram showing what parts are written in what in Longhorn, I just don't know where it is off hand.

Longhorn believe it must be developed in the framework as they want full integration into the .Net framework and that is why they used some C# as it is a framework only lang. But just to give you a tad bit of info from what I hear in the Widby release of Visual Studio they also made changes to the framework which will come out with Widby. There are to be many changes to C# and I believe one of them is Templates. I least that is what I hear as Templates are planned for the future. :D

They are, but not quite as powerful as C++'s templates. See Java 1.5 for what to expect from C#'s templates.

Admitably the syntax is competly diffrent in C++ and VB.Net but the basic programming concepts are the same. If you can understand ByRef and ByVal you should be able to grasp pointers and to me that is the hardest part of C++ that and understanding the *.h and *.cpp/*.c concept which is really a comiplier issue since all methods have to be declared in code before they are called in code...

I say jump into C++ with .Net 2003 if you can because I hear it supports the .net gui designers for forms.

Mixxing managed and unmanged code can be pretty frustrating at first.

Do yourself a favor and stay away from Managed C++.