Brief History of C# and C Langauge Names

Someone wanted to know how to pronounce C# and what it's association was with the other C languages. Here is a little primer for everyone's reference.

The language is pronounced "sea sharp", and it is an ECMA standard. Since most search engines don't index the # symbol, and you rarely see it in a URL you will often see it written C-Sharp online. Although Microsoft invented the language, there are other implementations of it. Visual C# is Microsoft's implementation of the C# language.

It is related to other C languages (C and C++) by the fact that it uses the C syntax. Also Microsoft wants to replace the previous dominate languages of C, C++ and Java (also a C syntax language) with C#, so they gave it a name that made it look like the predecessor to C and C++.

The difference between C and C++ was the move from procedural or functional programming to object orientated programming. The big difference with C# is the removal of pointers and working within the .NET framework. There is no use of C# outside of the .NET CLI (Common Language Infrastructure), which is also an ECMA standard.

Keep in mind that Microsoft isn't the only one to implement that framework though. There is a number of other implementations, with the most notable one being the MONO Project, which is a cross platform open source implementation of the CLI Framework and the C# langauge.

Interestingly, how C++ got its name is that in the C language there is a ++ operator that takes the value of a variable, increases it by one, and then uses that value. So to write C++ is to say C = C + 1. Which means the C++ language takes the C language, improves it, and continues using it.

To get the name C# Microsoft took the double pluses from C++ and they moved the first plus up a little bit, and the second plus down a little bit, then they moved them closer together so they overlapped. If you clean that up then you have the # symbol in C#.

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Langauge] [Trivia] [Software] [Microsoft] [Mono] [ECMA] [Standard] [Java] [CLI] [CSharp]

WinFX renamed .NET 3.0

OK, this is just now hitting the Microsoft blogs.

WinFX has officially been renamed .NET 3.0 See Somas blog for details: http://blogs.msdn.com/somasegar/archive/2006/06/09/624300.aspx

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Microsoft] [WinFX] [.NET 3.0]

.NET 1.1 in Visual Studio.NET 2005

You did not read that title wrong. Develop .NET 1.1 code using Visual Studio.NET 2005 using MSBee

What is this really? MSBee is an addition to MSBuild (MSBuild handles all of the builds for Visual Studio.NET 2005 whether you realize it or not), that allow you to use the .NET 1.1 compiler instead of the .NET 2.0 compiler. Very cool! So now you can get the cool new features of Visual Studio.NET 2005 (refactoring!) and keep everything in 1.1. Read more here: http://blogs.msdn.com/seshadripv/archive/2006/06/09/623871.aspx

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Visual Studio.NET] [MSBee]

Office 2007 Beta 2

Just in case you are interested.

Subject Tags: [Software]

Hiring Recommendations

If I were a manager at a technical company, say software development. And I were hiring a new co-worker to work with my existing staff, the first place I would look for applicants is staff recommendations.

I would evaluate their recommendations to be sure they are competent. If they are competent and recommended, I would hire them. The existing staff is the ones who will have to work with the new-hire.

Sure, hiring from a larger pool might produce more technically savvy staff, but personality is more important. Technical training is a whole lot easier to come by then resolving a personality conflict.

So worst case hiring a recommendation is investing in some technical training, since the personality and ability to interact with the existing staff is known. But if we hire from a larger pool (say a classified ad or a job listing site) then worst case is that we have an unresolvable personality conflict, and need technical training.

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Jobs] [Workforce] [Personality] [Coworkers] [Training] [Staff]

Rube Goldberg Programming Challenge

I just had a great idea for a fun programming competition this weekend: The Rube Goldberg Programming Challenge! You would be given a simple task, like "Hello World", and then your task would be to solve that task in the most complex way possible.

Points could be given for:

• Each pattern implemented (Need at least one singleton in there!)
• Making unnecessary use of a database.
• Incorporating a web service.
• Extra function calls.
• Classes, lots of classes.
• Weaving some threads in there.
• Extra file I/O with temporary files everywhere.
• XML, it has got to be in XML!
• Using multiple languages.
• Using multiple platforms or frameworks!
• Customized memory management!
• Creating an interpreter or simulator that is required for the final output!
• Recreating all the standard libraries, classes and components!
• Encoding and decoding the data in silly ways.
• Not using any native types.
• Everything (and I do mean everything) is an object!
• Self modifying code!
• Outputting customized source code and then creating a compiler to create a module to complete a step.
• Ratio of pertinent comments to source code greater then 2:1.

What else can you think of? If you've ever had to maintain anyone else's code you have probably seen a lot of crazy extra steps that other programmers go though. You could always check out Daily WTF for inspiration. Who would be interested in such a competition?

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Contest] [Challenge] [Rube Goldberg] [Patterns] [Fun] [Databases] [Web Services] [XML]

Richard Hundhausen in Dr. Dobb's

Our very own Richard Hundhausen has an interview in the latest issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal. They interviewed him on Visual Studio Team System, as he is the foremost expert on that subject. The interview is called VSTS: In the Wild. I was actually flipping through the magazine and saw a picture of a guy wearing sun glasses, a Google T-shirt, shorts and sandals while standing on a rock. I thought to my self he looked a lot like Rich, and then glanced up and the headline and sure enough it was.

Scott Swigart was interviewing him about VSTS and how it is being used in the real world. Besides the cool picture of Rich and the kind works about him, the 4 page article has some good information on VSTS.

Also, this month Dr. Dobb's made some changes. It would appear the combined Dr. Dobb's with Software Development magazine. Now you can apply for a free subscription to Dr. Dobb's and read the articles online. That was always one of my complaints, that I would read a great article in the magazine, and then had to pay to reference it later if I wanted to read it online. There are a number of other changes with this as well.

The cover story is about Ruby on Rails and there is are some articles on Game and Graphic programming. There still seems to be a good amount of source code in the magazine, which is nice. That was something that Software Development Magazine really lacked.

Lets hope Dr. Dobb's continues to be the best software developers magazine around. With a great interview like this with the likes of Richard Hundhausen they are off to a great start!

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Dr. Dobb's] [Magazine] [Free] [Interview] [Microsoft] [VSTS]

Can't Wait for ATLAS? Get GWT!

Google has made their AJAX development tool Google Web Toolkit (GWT) available. Instead of focusing on bits of JavaScript to be pieced together, as most other tool kits do, they went a different route.

You develop your application in Java using your favorite Java IDE. You make use of the GWT during the Java development. Since this is a normal Java application at this point, you are running in the JVM and have all the usual rich Java debugging and development tools. Once you have your application debugged and ready to go, you use the GWT to convert it to JavaScript and HTML.

What a really great concept. Plus, since it is written in Java it is available for Windows (2000 & XP) and Linux. Then the published application (in JavaScript and HTML) runs in IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari, and Opera, all with no special browser handling required on the part of the developer.

I expect we will see a huge increase in the number of AJAX applications in the very near future.

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [AJAX] [Google] [Atlas] [JavaScript] [Java] [Microsoft] [Web 2.0]

Boise Blogger Dinner TONIGHT!

If you live in the Boise, Idaho area and are involved in blogging (reader or writer) be sure you are at the Boise Blog Dinner tonight!

• Time/Date: 6:30-8:30 pm, Monday, May 15 (TONIGHT!)
• Place: Flying Pie Pizza, 6508 Fairview, Boise, Idaho
• Deal: Pizza and soda for $4.00

In addition to local blogosphere members, Shel Israel, author of Naked Conversations, will be there.

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Boise] [Idaho] [Boise, Idaho] [Dinner] [Event] [Naked Conversations] [Blog] [Blogger] [Blogging]

My Daughter Loves Ruby

The O'Reilly door prize books for Boise Code Camp v1.0 came, so I have a big stack of books I am busily getting to the winners. A number of lucky attendees won their choice of book from O'Reilly's expansive catalog of books. Now they are all setting in my living room. Kind of wish I had time to read them all before delivering them.

My 3 year old daughter really loves the The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide to Programming Ruby. I think mostly because the cover graphic is pink (or close to pink), or it could be the pretty ruby on it too. Although I didn't ask her why. I might do that.

How do I know this? I was reading a computer magazine with her and she pointed to a picture of the book and said “I wove dis book daddy! I wove it. And I have it! Wanna see?” and then went I showed me where I had the books stacked for the prizes. She started going through the book looking for that one.

I guess she has good taste. Or she really likes pink.

Subject Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Books] [Children] [Ruby]