is C# worth learning for a total newbie

[wengang]

Hey all.

Hope I got the right forum. I've been using VB for years and feel pretty comfortable writing most any kind of app I need.

So, I'm wondering if there is still any advantage or reason to start learning C# from the bottom.

Would it be better just to stay with VB and let somebody else write all the C code?

Thanks
Wengang

[hellswraith]

I knew VB6 well enough to accomplish anything I wanted in it. I knew that .NET was a totally different beast, so I took the opportunity to learn C# over VB.NET. It was the BEST decision I could have made.

After learning C#, you will be able to use your old VB6 skills, and your new knowledge of the framework to use VB.NET with minimal (a day for me) work.

I now can use C# or VB.NET back and forth, and from an employment perspective, that just opens up my available jobs that much more.

So, my response is YES, learn C# first. You will learn how to use the framework better if you do. I to often see VB6 programmers who are just coming to VB.NET trying to do the same old things. C# will get you out of that mindset and allow you to have less obsticles to learning the .NET framework (which is the most important skill you can have in either language).

[Pino]

ooo i've just satrted with c# its very good

any good ideas for begginner apps?

[hellswraith]

Originally posted by Pino
ooo i've just satrted with c# its very good

any good ideas for begginner apps?

It all depends on your programming background. If you are just starting out programming in C# with no experience in any other language, your best bet would be something very simple like a tic tac toe game, a Notepad clone, or a windows explorer type of application. Doing something simple will allow you to focus more on learning fundamentals without clouding your learning with complex language issues like operator overloading, inheritance, etc...that comes later.

If you have some coding background, the sky is the limit. I would take an existing app you have already written, and try to port it to .NET. Challenge yourself to see if you can cut the lines of code you have to write to less than half. This will force you to learn the framework more after you learn the syntax differences between what you already know and what you are now using.

Just my thoughts though, and I am a little tired, so I might not make sense right now.

[wengang]

okay.

Sold!

So, do you know of a good self-teach? I usually use SAMS or O'Reilly when I'm getting started. maybe an online tutorial?

what environment does it run in? it's own?
i guess i have to buy C# first then.

okay, sorry for the questions but I am truly new to it.

Thanks.

[Pino]

Brads Book looks good i've not looked at it properly yet but sounds good

pm brad and ask him

[john tindell]

Ive read brad's book and though that it was really good for learning C#. It does allow for people who have prior experience with programming.

I also have a copy of C# bible, but i found that it wasn't as good at explaining stuff once you got past the basics of the language.

[hellswraith]

Doing a google search on the term "C# tutorial", I found quite a bit of stuff.

I read this one a little and was liking it:
http://www.softsteel.co.uk/tutorials/index.html