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What is .NET?

CyberBry writes "There's a great technical overview of Microsoft .NET over at arstechnica: "In a remarkable feat of journalistic sleight-of-hand, thousands of column inches in many "reputable" on-line publications have talked at length about .NET whilst remaining largely ignorant of its nature, purpose, and implementation. Ask what .NET is, and you'll receive a wide range of answers, few of them accurate, all of them conflicting. Confusion amongst the press is rampant. The more common claims made of .NET are that it's a Java rip-off, or that it's subscription software. The truth is somewhat different.""

505 comments

  1. Trying to be cool by JohnHegarty · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I think its Microsoft trying to be cool..... because that java thing went well... didn't it...

    1. Re:Trying to be cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think it is still undecided if Java "went well" or "went badly and went away"...

    2. Re:Trying to be cool by mallie_mcg · · Score: 1

      I think its Microsoft trying to be cool..... because that java thing went well... didn't it...

      I dont. I think that this is an attempt by Microsoft to have an ECMA approved language that gets adopted by a wide range of programmers and projects for its semi decent merits. Why would they want to do this? Can anyone else remember the Helloween document? Was not is gist stating that Microsoft needed to muddy the protocols.

      If for example Mono actually reach the v1.0 API spec of the .NET it would allow people to develop one source, and simply release 2x binaries (or even just plain old bytecodeness). Then in the updated version of .NET v1.5 or 2006 or some TLA that breaks this compatability. Surely the halloween document must be part of the .NET initiative.

      --


      Do the following really mean anything? SCSA MCP CCSA CCNA
      --I'm not actually after an answer!
    3. Re:Trying to be cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Note: .NET like UPnp and other technologies
      of theirs are attempts to get people to
      depend on them. They want themselves to
      be the De Facto Standard, but De Facto is a
      standard made such by use, not by serious
      thinking. The interoperability in .NET and
      other Microsoft technologies are LOOSE, they
      allow so much flexibility that applying the
      concept "standard" to it is a misuse of the
      concept. A standard has defined rules set in
      place for the interpretation of information
      at every level, however according to Microsoft,
      its something they define as they go and will
      only document when they know enough about
      where their market is going or what their
      competitors are doing. CORBA is a true standard
      because it attempts to put in place a working
      relationship among the technologies that makes them interoperable, and supports them in all scenerios without being vague. Get Microsoft
      to tell you in detail what their technologies
      do and see if they stick with it.

  2. Net by DraKKon · · Score: 1, Funny

    Pronunciation: 'net
    Function: noun
    Usage: often capital
    Etymology: Middle English nett, from Old English; akin to Old High German nezzi net
    Date: before 12th century
    1 a : an open-meshed fabric twisted, knotted, or woven together at regular intervals b : something made of net: as (1) : a device for catching fish, birds, or insects (2) : a fabric barricade which divides a court in half (as in tennis or volleyball) and over which a ball or shuttlecock must be hit to be in play (3) : the fabric that encloses the sides and back of the goal in various games (as soccer or hockey)
    2 : an entrapping device or situation
    3 : something resembling a net in reticulation (as of lines, fibers, or figures)
    4 a : a group of communications stations operating under unified control b : NETWORK 4
    5 : INTERNET

    Oh.. DOT net... how silly of me

    --
    "It's not like your minds are as open as the source you love..." - Me to the majority of Slashdot.
    1. Re:Net by Corrado · · Score: 1

      After seeing #2 it all becomes much more clear.

      --
      KangarooBox - We make IT simple!
    2. Re:Net by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ain't that the truth!

    3. Re:Net by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      more of this
      "Microsoft Instant Messenger Virus Sweeps Net"
      with .NET, the dot is for the security
      whole they put in your backside.

  3. They've released the dev stuff. by ratajik · · Score: 5, Informative

    I haven't seen this mentioned here yet, but they actually released the dev stuff for .NET. Article here

    1. Re:They've released the dev stuff. by DodgyGeezer · · Score: 2, Informative

      Already got it installed! The damn thing doesn't play nicely with the X-mouse unfortunately. The UI must have been developed by the idiots who did Visual InterDev. I seem to remember MSVC5 had some issues with the X-mouse (auto-raise when the mouse went over things like the class-wizards drop list controls). MSVC6 played very nicely. Now it's back with avengence - behaving just as badly as the InterDev crap did.

      Not really .Net, but the C++ compiler seems more compliant that before.

    2. Re:They've released the dev stuff. by Auxon · · Score: 1

      Geez, they released Visual Studio.NET January 14th to MSDN Universal Subscribers, and the .NET Framework RTM on the same day, to everyone for free. The betas have been available since Nov. 2001, and a preview version since July 2001 for developers who went to the PDC. If Slashdot had of posted the bloody news everyone would have known that a long time ago.

    3. Re:They've released the dev stuff. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If Slashdot had of posted the bloody news everyone would have known that a long time ago.

      Sorry pal. That story wasn't quite the 'stuff that matters'. Stupid dinkly little backlights for Gambeboys however...

    4. Re:They've released the dev stuff. by cookd · · Score: 1

      As far as C++ compliance, you're right. MS is really trying to get their compiler into the modern age without leaving anybody out to dry. It's a problem, though -- fix too many noncompliant things, and you break the code that depends on noncompliance.

      MS released its first C++ compiler before certain standards were determined. It therefore has to support the code of developers who coded for the beta standard.

      Significant examples of this is for-loop variable scoping and the thowing operator new().

      With VC6, the following correct code would throw a duplicate definition error:

      for(int x=1; x10; x++)
      DoStuff(x);

      // x shouldn't be defined here, but it is

      for(int x=2; x11; x++)
      DoMoreStuff(x);

      Now in VC7, Microsoft makes a compromise. X is still defined between the two for loops, but the compiler special-cases the second declaration and doesn't regard it as an error. This allows ANSI standard C++ code to compiler without breaking existing code.

      Eventually, I'm guessing they will stop supporting the old style, or make it an option.

      --
      Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
  4. .NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The main bone of contention that people have with .NET is the whole Hailstorm/Passport crap that MS is trying to push on us.

    .NET itself is a very cool idea wherein any language can be used to write components that can be used by any other language. It's a means of allowing greater interaction between programs.

    Hailstorm/Passport is an ill-devised way of online information management. With the amount of paranoia about this kind of stuff, the idea will be either flounder for a while or will be pushed as hard as possible. I think the former, but that's just me.

    1. Re:.NET good, not evil by jrnchimera · · Score: 1

      The biggest problem I see with .NET is that the apps that get created with it will only run on Windows servers. This is yet another example of Microsoft unfairly stiffling competition because not only does it create the most widely used OS, they can also create applications that only work on it OS's. I would bet that other software development firms will never have the kind of intimate knowledge of the Windows OS internals the way the MS App developers do.

    2. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They will run on any Windows client as well as any client that has the .NET runtime.

      Didn't RMS and de Icaza have a big flap over this just a week ago or so?

    3. Re:.NET good, not evil by jrnchimera · · Score: 2, Informative

      Hmmm, according to an article I read, .Net applications can only be hosted on webservers running the Windows OS. Perhaps the article from the New York Times is incorrect?

    4. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      .NET applications can reside anywhere on the network. Most, though, will reside on your hard drive, just like most of your applications do now.

      What you may be talking about is the Distributed .NET concept wherein different pieces of the application puzzle lie across different servers on the network. In that case it may be possible that the servers must be .NET-serving enabled to host application components. That would make sense.

    5. Re:.NET good, not evil by Dan+Hayes · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well yes, apart from the fact that they're in the middle of developing a FreeBSD version right now since they need reference implementations on two platforms to submit it as a standard.

      But don't let the facts stop you eh?

    6. Re:.NET good, not evil by s0l0m0n · · Score: 2, Informative

      The biggest problem I see with .NET is that the apps that get created with it will only run on Windows servers.

      I think that this is in refference to the programing language c#, which is a component of MS .net, right?

      ximian is working on a linux port of .net right now. Currently they are up to version 0.8. Looks like new versions of Gnome will be written for mono, at some point. Of course, if you'd read /. in the past weeks, you would know that. You can read up on it or offer your assistance at Go mono

      and here are Miguel de Icaza's comments concerning Gnome and mono.

    7. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ok, who taught you that interperative languages were good? they're not.

    8. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The main bone of contention that people have with .NET is the whole Hailstorm/Passport crap that MS is trying to push on us.

      passport is based heavily on kerberos which was designed by MIT. I think they just implemented it badly. I think that the underlying architecture is fine.

      Hailstorm is just a set of user-centric webservices, published via UDDI and using WDSL to describe it. This begs the question, why can the open source community download the spec and make an open, secure alternative?

      just thinking out loud...

    9. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who told you that .NET languages are interpreted? They were lying.

    10. Re:.NET good, not evil by abigor · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, you can use any language that happens to look very similar to C#, and which has a CLR compiler. Take a look at some of the languages that have been ported to .NET, and you'll see what I mean. They are modified to look like C# with different syntaxes. Example: Smalltalk# (or whatever it's called). Forget about dynamic typing anymore. Basically, you can use any language so long as it's mauled to look like C# (static typing, etc.) This multiple-language thing is not a big win, really.

    11. Re:.NET good, not evil by mmacdona86 · · Score: 4, Informative

      They are developing a FreeBSD port of that incomplete and nearly useless portion that they are submitting as a standard. Real .NET apps will in fact be confined to the Windows platform, unless Mono is much more successful than I suspect it can be.

    12. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. .Net applications rely on the Common Language Runtime (similar to a JVM in concept) that only runs on MS. So, yeah, .Net apps can live anywhere on a network, as long as that place is MS.

    13. Re:.NET good, not evil by mikec · · Score: 4, Interesting

      But it's not "any language". It's a collection of languages that are nearly isomorphic with C#. In fact, there are currently many more languages, and more diverse languages, targetted to the JVM than there are to the .NET VM. See, for example, this list, which contains about 160.

    14. Re:.NET good, not evil by thetman · · Score: 1

      How many of these are ready for prime time, and how many are some guy pissing around in his basement, gets 25% done, posts it to a website, then gets distracted by some other cool project?

      Here's an article (a bit outdated, June 2001) that looks at the viability of some of the languages offered at that time....

      Not drawing any conclusions here....but really, how confident would you be about those 160 languages? How many users do they have? Or more to the point, how many non-experimental users do they have?

    15. Re:.NET good, not evil by thetman · · Score: 1

      oops...forgot the URL:

      http://www.objectwatch.com/issue_33.htm

    16. Re:.NET good, not evil by daytrip00 · · Score: 1

      The biggest problem I see with .NET is that the apps that get created with it will only run on Windows servers. This is yet another example of Microsoft unfairly stiffling competition because not only does it create the most widely used OS, they can also create applications that only work on it OS's

      Ummmmmmmm.... I suppose then that Apple engages in anti-competitive practices as well... or wait! do Carbon apps run on Windows?! Moreover I'm sure ALL linux apps run on Windows boxes as well. Oh wait... maybe you mean that any non-Java language is anti-competive. I can't tell!

    17. Re:.NET good, not evil by jonabbey · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yes, Roger Sessions' article does make that point, and the guy running that JVM languages page is quite honorable to link to the criticism.

      However, saying that the JVM isn't a suitable substrate because a lot of the language tools written on it are experimental is sort of a non sequitor.

    18. Re:.NET good, not evil by jrnchimera · · Score: 1

      Well, I was mislead by the New York Times into believing that .NET apps could only be run/hosted on Windows OS. You don't understand who/what I consider is anti-competitive? I believe I made that very clear -- Microsoft. I said nothing about Apple or Java. I don't believe I need to list all the companies who are anti-competitive just because I list one that I believe to be so. Now go back to reading "The Road Ahead" or "Hard Drive" now. Next weeks sermon will be based on chapter 6 of "The Road Ahead".

    19. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Thats RIGHT! its a Virtual MACHINE! no interpreter here, its all new and no one's ever done it before so our patents are valid of course; and BTW pay no attention to the small man behind the curtain.

      Actually, yeah maybe there IS a difference between a interpreter and a "VM"... if your interpreter requires 20MB+ of RAM and is in all other ways a bloated hog, people won't use it. "VM"s apparently have no requirement for efficiency.

    20. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Huh? The IL is an INTERMEDIATE LANGUAGE to which your .Net app is compiled. When you install the app on your system, the JIT then finishes the job giving you a native binary.

      The runtime is not a VM.

    21. Re:.NET good, not evil by daytrip00 · · Score: 1

      I said nothing about Apple or Java

      Obviously you didn't. I was using a well-known rhetorical strategy known as "Sarcasm." In fact it would be quite strange if either Apple or Java were anti-competitive considering their lack of market share. I was saying that simply because a product does not emit code for every known operating system does not mean it is anti-competitive. If this were the case, as I believe was your thesis, ALL compilers that targeted a specific platform or processor would be deemed (by that definition) anti-competitive, which obviously isn't very reasonable.

    22. Re:.NET good, not evil by jrnchimera · · Score: 1

      No actually, I was pointing out another case in which MS chose to produce a tool/app that would only run on its OS. What MS has done with .NET does not, taken by itself, mean that MS is anti-competive. But it *IS* another data point in support of that conclusion.

    23. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Language independence has been around for quite a while. Not only CORBA but also Parc Xerox ILU and IBM SOM provided as much if not more language idendepence. Also, if CLR and .Net so language independent why is it that all the languages that use CLR look more like C# than like their originating languages? C++ without multiple inheritence is not C++. Likewise, Eiffel# without design-by-contract and multiple inheritance is not Eiffel. VB.Net is not VB. All these .Net languages are really just C# with different eye-liner

    24. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The strict rules mostly apply if you are building your .net compiler to compile objects that can be used in other languages... as for actually just compiling to the IL i think you can make your compiler do what ever the hell it wants.... just it may not play well inside other applications.. that is the only thing that makes all languages look the same... ..... w--t w--t.. i mean.. your source now is comipled down to asm code.. and then linked.. they are not all the same... there are rules for the sharing of objects in the different languages.. thus the simularities between all the languages.. or maybe they just have a single programmer writnig all the code... and he can't think up n ways to write the languages heh...

    25. Re:.NET good, not evil by 1g$man · · Score: 1
      The part they are submitting as a standard isn't entirely useless. Even if (or likely, when) Microsoft decides to change their additions to their "standard", the base part will still be the same. And that base functional unit is still a very useful platform for building applications.

      I don't think anyone is doubting/denying that there will be a load of Windows-Only .net applications/services. But that doesn't make the rest of the platform any less useful.

      As an aside note, there's nothing stopping Mono for adding *nix-only extentions, and therefore making it possible to make .NET/CLR based applications that won't run on Windows.

      Imagine that!

    26. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The primary .NET languages are

      1. C#
      2. vb.net
      3. cobol.net
      4. managed c++

      Of these languages all are altered to look very much like c#. So much in fact, that c# is the only usable one and the most easy to program. I have done .NET development for about 4 months now and c# is the only language that seems natural in the .Net environment. And do you really want a software shop that uses 10 diferent languages.

      In reality there is not much difference between java and the .NET.

      Me, I just do what they pay me for... Just name your price.
    27. Re:.NET good, not evil by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 2, Interesting

      the one thing about that is, you lose language function if you are not using a .NET language.

      C++ you lose mutiple inheritence, other languages I am sure have similer problems......yes it is cool for getting your stupid little app compiled to run anywhere, but since it restrics the complexity of your program when not using a .NET language like C#, and C#/VB are not suficiently complex to give you the power of C/C++ you pretty much are stuck to little programs.

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    28. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looks like, you say? That was only the wish/idea of Miguel de Icaza. Have you read RMS's replies? And the mailing lists of gnome? Do you know how many gnome developers would be 'glad' to write for .NET?
      Better check your facts first. Just throwing the comment about it doesn't show that you REALLY read Slashdot in the past weeks.

    29. Re:.NET good, not evil by Auxon · · Score: 1

      Even if C# was the only language you could use with .NET, it would still be an amazing framework. ASP.NET, ADO.NET and the class libraries are all very well thought out, incredibly intuitive, and full of functionality. It rocks. I wish people would get a little bit educated about the CLR, CTS and C# and help Mono out: If truth lives in you, you have to admit that the .NET Framework class libraries and runtime make programming easier and more fun, or you haven't looked at it.

    30. Re:.NET good, not evil by TummyX · · Score: 1

      I can't believe you got modded up as 'informative'.

      Have you even read the submission? It's hardly 'nearly useless'. It's basically got everything Java has with the exception of WinForms and ADO (which can easily be added since the interfaces are public).

    31. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmmm - without a database layer (ADO), it's pretty much entirely useless to the target market (business programming).

    32. Re:.NET good, not evil by TummyX · · Score: 1

      Well most business programming will be done on windows. Outside of windows, there will be 3rd party data objects...and eventually (like with java) a standared DB and GUI classset will be developed for .NET.

      C++ doesn't have standard database classes, but it's hardless useless.

    33. Re:.NET good, not evil by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 1

      ok, I understand that it is cool, but I realy do not think it willbe capable of handling many real world projects like streight C/C++

      perhaps it will find a Nitche market that it is used in because it is realy good at what ever, but for most programs out there, it will not be used.

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    34. Re:.NET good, not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually I think Passport is a really great technology, the reason why is that it will allow customers the freedom to not have to re-enter informaton, and the vendor doesn't have to devote major resources to collect information.

      Hailstorm/Passport needs two things to make it standout more though. More major Credit Card support, and somesort of token/identity managment method.

      Right now it is possible to have a bizzilion passport accounts and hotmail accounts, they need to add value to just having one or two. Once for your everyday use, and one for porn. (Heheh)

      I Also think Liberty Alliance, and AOL's service better get off their asses before MS runs the table on them.

      Todd

  5. I honestly can't figure out by prisoner-of-enigma · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...where MS is going with this initiative. They seem to be touting portability, but what kind of portability? Certainly not inter-OS portability, that's for sure. No doubt that their Common Language Runtime is so heavily patented, encrypted, folded, spindled and mutilated that it will be quite difficult for someone to make it run on a non-MS platform. I know that quite a few Linux-heads are working on it. Prediction: if they ever get it right, MS will sue them about four microseconds after they post it on Freshmeat.

    That being said, it does seem like MS is trying to wean themselves out of a strictly x86 world, and portable binaries is a good way to do that. What about performance? Java used to be well known for crappy performance because of the abstraction forced on the code. Will .NET have similar limitations, I wonder?

    --
    In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
    1. Re:I honestly can't figure out by rabtech · · Score: 4, Informative

      You obviously didn't read the article.

      Microsoft themselves is developing a runtime for FreeBSD. When I say 'runtime' here I mean the CLR and the *BASIC* class libraries. You see, that is the standard that Microsoft has released to the EMCA as a standard, soon to be certified by ISO. It is completely open, non-patented, etc. Anyone can develop a compatible implementation.

      However, a few key components are Windows-only: ADO.NET (universal data access) and WindowsForms (the GUI toolkit.) That is where Mono comes in with the development of compatible class libraries on Linux. Please understand: **the interfaces are the same as the Microsoft interfaces**, even though the implementation details are different.

      Microsoft is fully aware of the Mono project and is taking no efforts to stop them. It doesn't really matter if they wanted to. The CLS (Common Language Specification) is part of the OPEN STANDARD. This is the definition of how classes and datatypes interact among languages and the IL; unless Microsoft managed to get a copyright on all the method names in WindowsForms, they can't stop me from creating a compatible implementation because I am simply using the CLS to write my classes that run on the CLR to provide objects for use by .NET programs.

      (Short Version: go back and actually read the article, then try posting again.)

      --
      Natural != (nontoxic || beneficial)
    2. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      >That being said, it does seem like MS is trying to wean themselves out of a strictly x86 world

      Has anyone thought that perhaps Intel (being somewhat friendly with Microsoft) has been pushing this initiative so they can finally put x86 instructions to rest? If Intel has a new processor that doesn't allow x86 instructions (because backward compability would slow it down), all they'd need is Microsoft to force everyone to compile with .NET and write a CLR for it.

      Of course, this may not necesarilly be a bad thing. Imagine the speed improvements any processor would have if it didn't require backward compability. The downside is that it'd require a fully-compability CLR.

      Sam

    3. Re:I honestly can't figure out by aulendil · · Score: 1

      > (Short Version: go back and actually read the > article, then try posting again.)

      You make it sound so ... unslashdotted

    4. Re:I honestly can't figure out by prisoner-of-enigma · · Score: 1

      I did read the article. My comment on them not developing for other platforms was meant to convey that I doubt they'd PROMOTE it, as it would tend to cannibalize their OS monopoly. Making something and allowing it to be used w/o a ridiculously strict license are two different things.

      --
      In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
    5. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you really expect Microsoft will allow an "open standard" type of world to come into being? They may be pushing an open standard, but i'll bet it's one they ultimately control.

      And sure they're not touching Mono right now. Sony didn't bother Bleem until they started selling it either. Wait and see.

    6. Re:I honestly can't figure out by sydb · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      People have been saying it for ages and I ignored it till now but it's true: Slashdot is becoming more and more riddled with idiots.

      Someone posts that and get's modded insightful? The poster clearly hasn't even read the article, never mind actually making an insightful comment about the subject in question, about which prisoner-of-enigma clearly knows nothing.

      I hit the karma limit a while back by posting sensible, informed, sometimes witty comments. And yet here we are, people wanting informed, reasoned, exciting discussion, struggling to be heard against a cacophony of nonsense which gets promoted to the top.

      Hmmm, sounds just like the Top 40.

      Here's the sad fact: populism sucks, and moderation is populism in action. What does this say about democracy? I wouldn't like to think, but hey: George W Bush.

      --
      Yours Sincerely, Michael.
    7. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Quit trying to save yourself. You were wrong, period. You comment about it being encrypted, etc - it's an open standard. You talk about suing - which is quite a bit different than "I doubt they'd PROMOTE it". People are wrong sometimes. It's okay. Admit that you were wrong and just leave it be. Quit looking stupider by posting more and more fucking bullshit.

    8. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Steveftoth · · Score: 5, Interesting

      So basically it's like the Kaffe version of Java. Kaffe supports the JDK 1.1 without AWT (soon with some 1.2 support). And guess what, not too many people use it. Maybe a couple, but most people are using a fully functional implementation with Swing/AWT and 1.3 libraries.

      I think that the whole C# is a standard argument is BS. Look at JavaScript, it's a standard, has been for a number of years now. Why is it then, that I can write 'standard JavaScript' and IE will interpret it one way, while Mozilla, Netscape and Opera interpret it a slightly different way ( maybe it works, maybe not ). Why are web programmers still writing browser detection code into web pages? I'll tell you why, because it doesn't matter if someone makes a standard if nobody follows it. Not one browser follows the standard perfectly. Mozilla (IMO) comes the closest, but even that is not perfect. You still have to go back ,tweak your pages and balh blah blah. Java may not be perfect, but all the 'SUN certified JVMs' work. If you run your code on the Sun JVM, it will work on the IBM one. If not then you can call up IBM and report a bug. With a 'standard' language/runtime, there is no controlling entity to guarentee compatability.

    9. Re:I honestly can't figure out by archen · · Score: 1

      They seem to be touting portability, but what kind of portability?

      .NET - works on the x-box too! Man now THAT's portability!

    10. Re:I honestly can't figure out by DrPizza · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Standard ECMAScript manipulating the DOM in standard ways works pretty much identically (except for implementation bugs) all over the place. This requires version 5.5 of MS's engine or Mozilla (maybe others, don't know, don't care), but it works well.

      Browser detection code exists primarily because of people using version 4.x browsers

      IMO, this is a demonstration of the standard working. The biggest problem is that it requires people to stop using the fatally flawed implementations (IE 4.x, NS 4.x). If they could be *forced* to upgrade, no-one would have to do that kind of crap any more.

    11. Re:I honestly can't figure out by PhotoGuy · · Score: 3, Funny
      They seem to be touting portability, but what kind of portability? Certainly not inter-OS portability, that's for sure.
      It cdertainly *is* portable across operating systems; I can count at least *six* operating systems I'm sure it supports:
      • Windows 95
      • Windows 98
      • Windows ME
      • Windows NT
      • Windows 2000
      • Windows XP
      And I'm sure they will support several more operation systems (of their own creation, of course) in the future.

      -me
      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    12. Re:I honestly can't figure out by JohnBE · · Score: 1

      What happens after Windows forms?

      I'm pro .NET, on paper. However what worries me is that Microsoft will pervert the standard, in the same way they did SMTP, MIME, HTML, Java and Kerberos. Admittidly the XML backbone of some of this is a saving grace, at least a DTD makes reverse engineering easier.

      I guess what I'm trying to say is that the original standard may only last untill the next version of Windows. Which upon release will/may gain proprietary standards and modifications, possibly creating forks.

      I may just be paranoid ;-).

      --
      e4 e5
    13. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Steveftoth · · Score: 2

      The implementation bugs are one thing I'm talking about. Since for JS, there is no body enforcing the standard, like Sun does for Java, anyone can implement the 'standard' but have bugs in the implementation. Unfortunatly these bugs make you choose between platforms. If you program to the 'bugs' in the IE platform then all of a sudden you've got IE specific code that doesn't work correctly on Mozilla, and vice-versa.
      This is the reason that I love Sun for not releasing Java to a standards commitee.

    14. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Kinda like that god forsaken Linus Torvalds controls his baby Linux. I suspected long ago that he had this crazy idea in his head that he should have control of it just because he developed it....

    15. Re:I honestly can't figure out by wdr1 · · Score: 1

      I'm sure it supports ... Windows 95 ...

      Actually, I'd be amazed if Win95 is supported, seeing as Windows 95 is no longer officially supported by Microsoft.

      I don't believe even I.E. 6.0 or the new version of DirectX run on '95.

      -Bill

      --
      SlashSig Karma: Excellent (mostly affected by moderatio
    16. Re:I honestly can't figure out by nelsonal · · Score: 1

      What everyone seems to be missing is that this is supposed to cannablize the OS monopoly. It is intended to replace it as the new platform for application development. The whole intention seems to be focusing on a world in which users don't use PCs with branded operating systems, think Xbox, I think it uses a modified version Win 2k, but unless you develop for it that really doesn't matter. I think the monopoly part comes in the server and its delivery of a user experience rather than the client.

      --
      Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
    17. Re:I honestly can't figure out by ender81b · · Score: 1

      Actually the Itanium contains the ability to run x86 instructions on-chip even though it is equipped with an entriely new instruction set. Here is an extremetech article on the built-on x86 instructions.

      INtel doesn't plan on abandoning the x86 instruction set all that soon.

    18. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not Windows 95. Microsoft doesn't support Win95 anymore.

    19. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Dan+Hayes · · Score: 3, Informative

      Well if you'd read the article then you'd realise that Intel's new Itanium architecture is actually completely unsuited for the kind of JIT techniques used by .NET due to the fact that the CPU doesn't reorder code - it needs the compiler to organise things beforehand.

      So I very much doubt that Intel are pushing .NET to wean themselves off of x86...

    20. Re:I honestly can't figure out by WMSplat · · Score: 1

      Don't blame the languages when its the browsers themselves that can't agree on how to present their interfaces. JavaScript itself it standard, and the code will _run_ on every browser. The problem is in the objects that the browser presents to the JavaScript interpreter for interacting with the user. Without that, JavaScript can calculate to its heart's content and never be able to display a scrap of it.

    21. Re:I honestly can't figure out by anonymous_wombat · · Score: 1

      I found the article at arstechnica to be fairly biased. .net is considered to be more generic than Java because it is language neutral. It seems to me that OS neutrality is the more important feature.
      Also, the article talked about .net using various open standards. They could have used the CORBA IDL for language independent definitions. Certainly the fact that it only runs on M#cros@ft systems indicates their intentions fairly clearly. I thought that the fact that they are helping with a FreeBSD port was interesting. Is this an attempt to hurt Linux?

    22. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Jerf · · Score: 4, Insightful

      For what its worth, Javascript has been effectively standardized for, oh, I'd say the last five years, even before the ECMA standard. (Note the word 'effectively', it's a critical one to my point.)

      What you're complaining about (justifiably) is the DOM, or Document Object Model. The DOM was standardized much more recently, and unfortunately contains a few holes large enough to drive a truck through, necessitating the need for non-standard extensions in practice. (One of the most-commonly-used of these is the "innerHTML" attributes, which is *not defined* in the standard, despite the fact that it is wonderfully useful. Mozilla actually explicitly added it many milestones ago because people were screaming for it. The 'standardized' way of doing that was upwards of 10-20 lines of rather difficult-to-read code, involving walking the tree and regenerating the HTML, then nearly-manually parsing the given HTML back into a tree, then swapping the newly-parsed Node tree into the document! Is anyone surprised nobody, even those who understood it, wanted to do that?)

      The DOMs are inconsistent, partially because they're hard to get write. But Javascript itself is nearly unchanged since Netscape 3.0. That's not a typo. Yes, a few nice things have been added (for instance, I think an exception mechanism has been added since then), but effectively all of the language anyone uses on a web page script was there in Netscape 3.0. (How many people here have created their own objects in Javascript, or fiddled with the prototypes? IIRC, this feature was in 3.0, and it's still too-advanced to be necessary in most web scripts. Short scripts don't need a lot.)

      This works out on topic nicely... because you're very likely looking at the future of Mono. "What use is Mono when the same code doesn't *quite* run on .NET?" What use, indeed? The greatest challenge facing those who would implement the CLR is not in writing the class libraries, it's matching them bug-for-bug. (One of the reasons Mozilla and IE still don't work identically is that Mozilla was forced to abandon its plans for bug-for-bug compatibility with IE, due to the feature's excessively high "pie in the sky" factor.)

    23. Re:I honestly can't figure out by daytrip00 · · Score: 1

      unless Microsoft managed to get a copyright on all the method names in WindowsForms

      Actually, Sun attempted to make a similar claim about the Java framework back when IBM and Microsoft were spatting with them. Tim O'Reilly actually mentioned this.

    24. Re: I honestly can't figure out by SteveX · · Score: 2

      How do you explain Microsoft funding the development of a FreeBSD port of the .NET runtime and compiler?

      Some details are here

      - Steve

    25. Re:I honestly can't figure out by prisoner-of-enigma · · Score: 1

      Save myself? HAH! You ever hear of a concept called speculation? I guess not according to your rant. Yes, I know what the article says. Yes, I know it's not encrypted or closed right now. Try and think beyond that teeny tiny brain of yours for a change.

      Here's what I mean: MS is creating something that doesn't seem to have a purpose that benefits them. We all know that MS *never* does anything that doesn't further their business plans and interests. NEVER. So they're promoting it as it is now -- what about later? Where are they going with this?

      So, here we have something supposedly open and free, cross platform and all. Does this creep anyone else out besides me? What possible motive would MS have to do this? If they wanted something that's widespread, cross platform, extensible, open, and flexible, they could've chosen Java. I'm not a programmer, but it doesn't appear to me that .NET has any huge advantage over Java and vice versa. And we all know how MS treated Java in the past, so we know they have no love for open, cross-platform standard.

      Here's a possible idea: what if they're using .NET to draw folks away from Java. Suppose they succeed somehow and get the world stuck on .NET. Then, lo and behold, rev 2.0 of .NET is now closed, or expensive, or whatever. There must be a motive here somewhere for MS to do something like this.

      --
      In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
    26. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but it runs like a dog expect pentium 100 type performance.

    27. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is a question of who is using who.

      MS platform is not an operating system. But the whole package.

      It always enjoyed having 90% of the developers out there.

      When java came to life, MS was leaking developers.

      Now they want to reverse that stream.

      Of course they need a shining bait.

      I think it is using us.

    28. Re:I honestly can't figure out by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      Er. That would be all well and good, if Java implementations weren't bug-free. There have been bugs in JVMs. Blessed, coffee-cupped, JVMs. There will, I'm quite sure, be bugs in future JVMs. Even from Sun. It's happened before, and no amount of "enforcement" makes people write perfect code.

    29. Re:I honestly can't figure out by VP · · Score: 1

      You see, that is the standard that Microsoft has released to the EMCA as a standard, soon to be certified by ISO. It is completely open, non-patented, etc.

      Unless ECMA and ISO only publish standards that are patent-free (and I don't think that is the case), then it is only your wishful thinking that makes .NET "non-patented". I wonder of someone would have the time to search for recent MS patents and try to relate them to the published ECMA standard...

    30. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I'm pro .NET, on paper. However what worries me is that Microsoft will pervert the standard, in the same way they did SMTP, MIME, HTML, Java and Kerberos. Admittidly the XML backbone of some of this is a saving grace, at least a DTD makes reverse engineering easier.

      Depends; that DTD won't be worth a damn to reverse engineering efforts if it specs out, in detail, where the binary-only sections of the documents are and how many bits per byte of that blob.

      Folks keep assuming XML will be a saving grace in MS file formats etc as if binary was forbidden in said formats just by being wrapped in some XML.

    31. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Replace Win95 with XBox and you'll be there..

    32. Re:I honestly can't figure out by gewalker · · Score: 1

      Sorry, Wrong answer.

      What's more important is "What's more important to the developer"

      To you, apparently O/S neutrality. Got no problem with that, have designed and maintained cross platform code since 1983. Great fun.

      However, to someone with a bunch of legacy code in C/C++/COBOL/FORTRAN etc. language neutrality is likely to be more important because the Native methods under Java are less convenient than that promised by the .NET environment.

      In an ideal world, I would have both of the above, a 7 figure income, and a trophy spouse. Sometimes you just have to settle for what works today.

    33. Re:I honestly can't figure out by gewalker · · Score: 1

      I hate to post in response to myself, but ...

      Should have added -- language neutral (assuming that it works for you), issues such as multiple inheritence, static typing, etc. may get in the way for your legacy code. Still, probably easier than rewriting everything in Java, assuming you can't get your compiler to generate Jave bytecode.

    34. Re:I honestly can't figure out by JohnBE · · Score: 1

      True, although XML is meant for text based transfer so binary would have to use some kind of text encoding, I imagine in a CDATA element (unless they pervert the standard) using somekind of text encoding, however:

      There is nothing to say that this data within the XML isn't encrypted.

      Microsoft will control the authentication of various services.

      --
      e4 e5
    35. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Doctor+Faustus · · Score: 1

      The biggest problem is that it requires people to stop using the fatally flawed implementations (IE 4.x, NS 4.x). If they could be *forced* to upgrade

      The problem is that the browser I like, and many other people like, NetScape Navigator, ended at version 4.7, which is now hopelessly obsolete. NetScape 6 has, unfortunately, jumped on the themes bandwagon with their complete rewrite, so nothing in the user interface really works quite right, even with the "classic" theme. I've been forcing myself to use NetScape 6.2 since I built this computer a month ago, but I'm really tempted to go back to 4.78, and just fire up IE for the occasional page that doesn't look right or gives an obvious error.

    36. Re:I honestly can't figure out by rfsayre · · Score: 2

      actually, some of the more interesting ECMAscript I've seen has been in Flash. Since there's a standard, uniform object model, people get crazy. There's some pretty interesting stuff around.

    37. Re:I honestly can't figure out by haruharaharu · · Score: 2

      Imagine the speed improvements any processor would have if it didn't require backward compability

      First, the instruction set only affects the decode stage - this is a small part of the processor. Second, you won't see something like that for at least 5 years due to all the x86 stuff floating around.

      --
      Reboot macht Frei.
    38. Re:I honestly can't figure out by Steveftoth · · Score: 1

      I'm not blaming the Language, I'm trying to say that the standards process is not the solution to all problems. Just because a standard exists doesn't mean that people will follow it.

  6. Language neutrality by icejai · · Score: 1

    I think this quality of .NET will make it popular among web developers. There is much money to be saved and labour productivity to be gained by not having to rewrite/port code from one language to another.

    1. Re:Language neutrality by Phil-14 · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Everyone talks about .NET's supposed
      language neutrality, but based on what I've
      read so far, it's only language neutral if
      your language is c# or close to it.


      However, maybe they should repeat
      the claim another million times; it worked
      with getting people to think Windows
      was secure.

      --
      (currently testing something about signatures here)
    2. Re:Language neutrality by __past__ · · Score: 1
      Yes - they even managed to cripple VB for .NET :)

      However, this is not new: Try to read any W3C "language independent" standard (like the DOM IDL bindings) - or even IDL itself. It is language independent as long as your language is reasonably similar to Java.

    3. Re:Language neutrality by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except that with Java there are already Python and REXX front ends that will run on a JVM. Nothing yet for .NyET

    4. Re:Language neutrality by ymenager · · Score: 1

      Language neutrality.... Honestly that ideia that came out of MS marketing makes me laught...

      I won't even go into the argument on how they had to change VB to make it almost like C#....

      Simply the fact that in any real world company, one of the most important things is MAINTAINABILITY. A company will standardize on some kind of technology. They don't want to have applications made in languages only a few people around know. Irrelevantly of how good any of those languages are, nobody wants to be responsable for applications written in VB, Java, Smalltalk, Eifel and Cobol....

    5. Re:Language neutrality by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      _
      >> there is labour productivity to be gained by not having to rewrite/port code from one language to another

      _

      Really?
      Try to tell that to the millions of VB die-hard fans who have to abandon their beloved language & interpreter !

  7. .NET is... by pq · · Score: 4, Funny
    .NET is just a way to catch the .FISH!
    Bwahahahahaha...

    --
    "I will take the Ring," he said, "though I do not know the way."
    1. Re:.NET is... by questionlp · · Score: 0
      And according to the Fish (aka Babelfish), ".NET is just a way to catch the .FISH!" becomes:
      The network is exactly the method to take the FISH
      After English -> Japanese -> English -> Spanish -> English ;-)

      Hmm... maybe Microsoft (and pq) knows something we don't. hehe.

    2. Re:.NET is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Many people are familiar with the "Internet."

      When they hear "Microsoft.net" they conclude that the Internet is the next entity to be assimilated.

      One learns to be very careful with the BORG.

    3. Re:.NET is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I vote this to be the funniest of the year.

      A shame not-technical people would never get it.

      10 out of 10.

    4. Re:.NET is... by syrinx · · Score: 1

      bahaha... I burst out laughing at that, thanks. :)

      --
      Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
  8. I'm impressed ... by NWT · · Score: 1

    At first sight I thought .NET were some little idea developped by MS, but it's seems quite big and complicated now ...

    I wonder if they're only trying to get a bigger part of the NET and its users under control, or if they're planning something bigger ...

    --
    Life sucks.
    1. Re:I'm impressed ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, of COURSE THEY ARE! If they weren't, they wouldn't be M$ and wouldn't have a monopoly in the first place.

  9. what I have yet to see... by SweetAndSourJesus · · Score: 0

    I'm a FreeBSD guy. I've yet to see anything regarding how this is going to affect me. Naturally, I'm not going to get any of the .NT err .NET goodness, but MS doesn't seem to be shipping any of their marketing jazz my way.

    Does anyone have any links to info regarding .NET's impact on the un*x world?

    Also, are they really going to call everything *.NET? It just seems so...what's the word I'm looking for...well, inane.

    --

    --
    the strongest word is still the word "free"
  10. the article by f00zbll · · Score: 1

    I found the article well written and better than most news publications. The arstechnica guys are deligent about their research and try to be as object as they can. I personally found their review more object the than the recent batch of reviews. I look forward to the next installment covering the software of .NET, ie the servers and services portion.

    1. Re:the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That would be "diligent" and "objective" .

      ... whatever.

    2. Re:the article by monkey+typewriter · · Score: 1

      Seemed to me that this "review" was biased toward the M. Witness the "support for any language" and lazy comparison with the Java framework. Noticably absent from the article was any evidence of critical commentary. Personally I think C# adds little to the existing set of languages. Why create a language if you also leave programmers free to use their old favourites? What about the problems caused by implementing these old languages in a slightly different fashion? Haskell without complete laziness, C++ with a new concept of object heirarchy and new limits on memory addressing, all the small changes necessary to twist existing language types into a .NET standard, etc. I think Sun got it right by sticking with a single language, it's not really that hard to learn a new language and you stand no chance of tripping someone up with subversive half-alterations to their old favourite.

      I also think that making languages named JScript and J++ is very telling. Big M are green with envy over Suns early recognition of a trend.

      All that said, I don't think .NET is such a bad thing.

      --
      Ahh, my favourite rhetorical recipe, the tautological soffle.
    3. Re:the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That ain't no surprise considering the Author, PeterB is a pathetic Wintroll who endorses anything Microsof creates and was banned from Mac forums for extensive trolling.

      I wouldn't worry much about .NET

      All you need to know is

      1) You will be paying more of your money to Microsoft after it is in place (this seems obvious - otherwise why would they be doing it?)

      2) It will enhace their dominance of the industry, possibly in such a way that takes the heat off their monopolistic use of Windows.

      The only people who are denying this are either

      1) Microsoft zealots who view the above as a good thing.

      or

      2) Idiots who don't learn from history.

  11. The truth behind the mystery... by The+G · · Score: 2, Funny

    .NET is mlife.
    --G

  12. great article! by timdorr · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Wow. 2 Slashdottings for us Arsians in such a sort span of time... I hope some of your guys get subscriptions to that site to help us with the bandwidth bill.. =D

    Back on topic, I can attest that this is a great article. Before, all I knew of .NET was something about subscription services and some set of servers... Now it all makes sense...

    Great read!

    --
    Tim Dorr
    Owner/Manger
    A Small Orange
  13. .NET, J2EE, WebServices by rootmonkey · · Score: 1, Insightful

    .NET is Microsoft's Web Services answer plain and simple, the problem is not too many people understand what Web Services entails.

    One of black marks that J2EE gets in the .NET vs J2EE comparison is the fact that .NET was designed with web services in mind while J2EE has been playing catch up with it various Web Services extensions. I disagree with this view though. I look at it more as J2EE is more mature and has been around longer so that is why web services were not designed into from the begining. Second, I think it shows the power of J2EE that it can be extended in such a manner that works well with the existing platform. J2EE also has a much larger support for other types of protocols with existing enterprise systems. This allows systems to ease into the J2EE platform whereas with .NET you have to make the big leap and move everything into the .NET frame work leaving legacy systems.

    --

    Yes but every time I try to see it your way, I get a headache.
    1. Re:.NET, J2EE, WebServices by abigor · · Score: 1

      Why the heck is this offtopic? The article specifically mentioned J2EE and that it is .NET's greatest (only) competition.

      By the way, you are correct. I will go further, and say that J2EE benefits from competition among container manufacturers (Weblogic vs. Websphere vs...), whereas MS controls whatever MTS is called now. Also, .NET does not support stateful objects, only stateless ones (MS claims they aren't necessary -- wrongo). Finally, .NET does not have the equivalent of JMS. Combined with message-driven EJBs, they provide an excellent alternative to the RPC-only .NET (OK, it's SOAP, but it boils down to RPCs). Of course, J2EE supports RPCs also, with RMI.

      .NET has a long way to go before it becomes enterprise-level.

    2. Re:.NET, J2EE, WebServices by rootmonkey · · Score: 1

      I've been using the jax-rpc pack for RPC over SOAP, it works pretty good. I now have a nice way for my C++ app server to talk to Java clients. The nice thing is that its routed via http.

      --

      Yes but every time I try to see it your way, I get a headache.
    3. Re:.NET, J2EE, WebServices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >>NET does not support stateful objects, only stateless ones (MS claims they aren't necessary -- wrongo).

      And do tell us why Stateful is needed ? Only lazy programmers WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND load balancing across LDs (local directors) would ever argue that stateful works.

    4. Re:.NET, J2EE, WebServices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      with .NET you have to make the big leap and move everything into the .NET frame work leaving legacy systems

      No, you do not. .NET integrates closely with COM/DCOM/COM+. You simply continue using COM/DCOM/COM+ (with SNA Server/Host Integration Server), and interface with existing enterprise systems as you've been doing in the pre-.NET days. That may not be the answer to integration with all legacy systems, but certainly covers the common ones.

    5. Re:.NET, J2EE, WebServices by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Microsoft has hinted that they will be producing a "application server" product that will be posiitoned against WebLogic Websphere, etc. My guess is that they'll hit the J2EE + vendor feature list point-by-point, but it will be an additional pile of $$$$.

  14. What IS the .NET? by denzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Unfortunately, no one can be told what the .NET is. You have to see it for yourself.

    1. Re:What IS the .NET? by protein+folder · · Score: 2, Funny

      You know, I know this program doesn't exist. I know that when I try to use this program, .Net is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss.

      --
      Your mind is squeezed by a blast of pain!
  15. .NET is stupid. by Penguinoflight · · Score: 0, Troll

    Those crazy folks at microsoft keep messing things up! ".net" has just made zone.com inconvenient (the only ms service I use), and all the other msn stuff is worse. .NET has launched, but it hasn't proven any advantage.

    It's not just that I'm a MS hater, the other Zone users don't like .net either, make your customers happy and don't use it.

    --
    "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
    1 John 4:14
    1. Re:.NET is stupid. by Merconium · · Score: 1

      Bwahahhahaha! This is a joke, right? Take a look at the article and you'll see why zones.com and the passport fiasco has very little to do with what .net is.

  16. What .NET means to me... by powerlinekid · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    .Net is a package of sorts. In it your have your c# which is a rip off of java (just look at the syntax... yeah yeah i know runtime is different). Nothing new, just this time its legal. You have your compilers and runtimes for c# and api, just a new way of distributing microsoft software for more money. You have your passport thingy which is supposed to be this great big identification thing that works with all things microsoft... well thats just so you buy more microsoft stuff which equals more money for microsoft. Pretty much, .Net is a repackaging of old microsoft ideas but with a slicker name, and interface and on top of that its kind of legal this time. Nothing new, nothing to see here.

    --

    can't sleep slashdot will eat me
  17. Has anyone used any of the .NET services? by amhax · · Score: 1

    I was just wondering if anyone has yet used .NET for full integration of all services(as .NET was intended to do) and what are/were the results?

    Any dismal failures?

  18. Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by XBL · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are some good .NET development books coming out now. Even O'Reilly has had one out for a while (which I have), so the publishing companies seem to be eager to sell .NET.

    Right now I am downloading the seven CD Visual Studio.NET Enterprise final version (yep, already warezed), a $2500 program. It even has a version of Visio bundled for doing application modeling, and that somehow automatically starts producing code, from what I understand. This is going to be interesting to try.

    I have had the VS.NET Beta 2 for a few months, and it's generally easy to use, but very slow. I mean, a general "Hello World" application takes several seconds to compile, and also at least 3 seconds to execute! I have done the same thing using the raw .NET framwork development tools, and it seemed much faster (probably because my hand-written code was much smaller).

    Microsoft is developing a version of the .NET runtime and classes for FreeBSD. I have talked with the lead engineer of this project over e-mail, and he said that it's due to be out in late Spring. I asked him about the Windows Forms stuff, and he said it will be based on Tk (could someone explain the implications of this?). He also said that there are going to be very few UNIX-specific classes, but they hope people will develop those on their own.

    1. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by rabtech · · Score: 2

      Please be aware that you can purchase a copy of any single visual studio tool, such as VB for really cheap. You are then eligible for the upgrade price on Visual Studio.

      Right now at least, starting from scratch, it is cheaper to pickup VB 6.0, then buy the VS.NET upgrade.

      --
      Natural != (nontoxic || beneficial)
    2. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by clontzman · · Score: 3, Informative

      I ordered an academic copy of VS Professional for $99. If you're a student, have one in your family or can find a way to finagle a student ID (or take a class at a local university), it's an excellent way to get a legit copy for a very competitive price. The individual languages are cheaper still.

    3. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Am I not a student of Life itself?

      City University says it will award me credits based on my work experience. Can I use my work ID as evidence of my being a student?

    4. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by (H)elix1 · · Score: 2

      Right now I am downloading the seven CD Visual Studio.NET Enterprise final version (yep, already warezed), a $2500 program.

      The entire devil's toolkit (MSDN Universal, all OS, office, backoffice, and dev tools) goes for about 2.3K USD.... Course I'm sure there are people who might pay more for everything, but if you break up the kit, it is closer to the real price.

    5. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by DodgyGeezer · · Score: 1

      "I have had the VS.NET Beta 2 for a few months, and it's generally easy to use, but very slow."

      Yeah: the installation program was such a hog on my P2-450 that I decided to upgrade. I was pretty impressed with the way their setup program has come along now: it looks transaction based and does rollbacks if an error occurs. Very slick.

    6. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by ari_j · · Score: 1

      Unix-specific classes? Doesn't that defeat the entire purpose of .NET?

      That said, it's not surprising that they'd try to make it work on FreeBSD...what does Hotmail run on?

    7. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by tmarzolf · · Score: 1

      There are some good .NET development books coming out now. Even O'Reilly has had one out for a while (which I have), so the publishing companies seem to be eager to sell .NET. </I>
      <BR>
      And here I thought publishing companies were just in it to sell books.(no offence to O'Reilly)

      --

      This Sig has been depreciated.

    8. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Warezed! Where? I've haven't been able to find it yet.

    9. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      start at t50.com or the like, turn of javascript, be prepared to view page source a lot to escape retarded VOTEFORMENOWNOWNOW shit, and just keep digging. or subscribe to some of the major third-party usenet services that will serve the whole alt.binaries.* heiarchy. Macromedia products are particularly easy to get, just grab the "full version, 30 day trial" packages, and hit astalavista to search for a crack...

    10. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Windows 2000 and Solaris, as it has for almost 2 years now.

    11. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by sacherjj · · Score: 1

      Except, if you aren't really a student, then it isn't actually a legit copy... :)

    12. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by egarrido16 · · Score: 1

      Where did you find academic versions of VS.Net? I didn't think MS sold individual licenses to students at all. Please post link!

      Eric Garrido

      --
      "Brevity is the soul of wit." -Polonius, Hamlet.
    13. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your local Unibetsedat.

    14. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by clontzman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I should have caveated that by saying that it's not legal if you're *NOT* affiliated with a university. If you are student, faculty or staff, though, it's a great deal. I'm not sure what the restrictions are WRT producing commercially released code w/ it, though, so I'd look into that before buying.

      I ordered my copy from Genesis. You have to send them proof that you work at or attend a university, but they seem legit.

    15. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Oink.NET · · Score: 3, Informative
      Right now I am downloading the seven CD Visual Studio.NET Enterprise final version (yep, already warezed)

      I downloaded the seven CD Visual Studio.NET Enterprise Architect final version (yes, the one they officially released this morning) a month ago from Microsoft's very own download site. They made it available as one big download, or as ISOs. You've gotta be an MSDN Universal subscriber to download it, which costs about as much as Visual Studio.NET does, but you get full download access to all of their products (all their OS's, Office versions, server software, beta releases, etc.), not just Visual Studio. Not a bad deal when you add up the street price of all the software.

    16. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ISO images? I could only find the single download on the MS site. I ended up downloading it at home onto my Laptop and then taking it to the office since my home connection is faster!

    17. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Sabalon · · Score: 2

      Not really. Just like there will probably be some horid ASDI/.NET interface, it'd be nice to have a class that would let you say monitor/admin a Unix box. Create a .NET class for it, call it from your VB program on a winders machine, and make a nice little pointy/clicky interface.

      If you ever want to do anything system related, there will have to be specific classes for that platform/machine...the question is how long before other classes get polluted and the docs are full of
      (Note: this only works on win32 machines)

    18. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by jnana · · Score: 1
      You are wrong, or, at the very least, disingenuous. See the following article, "Microsoft Hotmail still runs on U**x, dated 12/12/2001--yes, 2 months < 2 years.

      Here is a brief excerpt: "... a Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters yesterday that Hotmail is the only Microsoft system that runs on U**x, and that the migration is still in progress. A check with Netcraft shows that Hotmail's front edge servers do indeed run Windows 2000, so Microsoft can faithfully claim that the "web site runs Windows", as it did yesterday. But the infrastructure is still stored on BSD kit."

    19. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Oink.NET · · Score: 2
      ISO images? I could only find the single download on the MS site.

      You've got to navigate the tree menu on the left to get to the ISOs. The main page only offers a convenience link to the single file download.

    20. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by dattaway · · Score: 2

      What happens when you graduate and then use your software in your new business? Would the BSA agree you would be in compliance with the license?

      The way I read these licenses, once you are no longer a student, your "ownership" and use rights vanish.

    21. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by clontzman · · Score: 3, Informative

      You are correct, sir (I presume). Once you graduate, they usually have an "upgrade amnesty" type program where you can buy the legit version at the upgrade price. Then again, sometimes not. At any rate, once you're no longer a student, you legally can't use the software (hence the bargain basement prices you get -- $99 for Dreamweaver... $99 for Illustrator... $100 for Office Pro...)

      In my case, I'm faculty/staff so unless I get fired or quit, I'm okay.

    22. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by ari_j · · Score: 1

      True, as far as system administration goes. But I'd be reluctant to write too much system administration software, at that level, so portably. Compile-time portability, for example with gtop and the like, is okay, but runtime portability would not be so great, IMHO...what good could come from running the Windows Control Panel "applet" (as it will be sooner or later) on your Linux desktop? I see .NET's strength really being cross-platform goodness at the end-user application level...MS Word, etc. (As slow as that could be, at least you could more readily decompile Clippit and replace it with a dummy Clippit class. ;-D) (Yes, I know that my point is partially obsolete. I dare you to even give a damn! ;-D)

    23. Re:Books, VS.NET, .NET FreeBSD by Sabalon · · Score: 2

      As for the good of it, I could control all aspects of my win machine from my linux desktop (which right now is Cygwin's XFree ontop of win2k using xdm to get my desktop ;)

      Anyway, this would provide you the same functionality that "Computer management" provides right now - manage any win2k machine remotely, with out the speed loss of using something like vnc. On the backend you could have a Linux management object, or a windows management object. Though I agree, portability would be a pain. Either you'd have polymorphic user interfaces, or you could manage the least common denominator.

      I can see where .net could be used on something like adding users - design a class that takes the common parms, such as username, id, password, etc... and then it would call the class on the remote machine, and depending on if that class was on a win2k or unix box, it'd do the right thing - the api from the management app would be the same though - still too many differences though :(

      I don't like clippit, but I like Links - the cat. It's cute. I actually leave it enabled just for grins. Anyway, the only problem I see with .net at the application level is w/ the classes being able to be on the network somewhere, MS giving you MS word for dirt cheap, but charging you $5 everytime you want to access the spell check class.

      Either I'm getting too old to think .net is neat, or I should't have had that whole bottle of champagne tonight!

  19. Who Cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I mean really, who cares?

  20. Was that so complicated? by JohnDenver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    .NET is a "software platform". It's a language-neutral environment for writing programs that can easily and securely interoperate. Rather than targetting a particular hardware/OS combination, programs will instead target ".NET", and will run wherever .NET is implemented.

    When your friends ask, just tell them "It's a language-neutral Java knock-off..."

    Why do people try to make it more complicated? Ok, .NET never interprets bytecode, rather it does JIT compiling. Big deal. Ok, .NET uses SOAP as it's RPC conduit. Yawn. .NET offers Passport for developers who don't want to write thier own user authentication and may want to offer thier users the convienence of not having to enter thier condo's address. *snore* (wipe drool from mouth in a dazed stupor)

    Others like to confuse the application that can be written by .NET (You can write them in most other languages too) like Web Services and equate .NET with Web Services, when Web Services are just one type of program you can make in .NET

    The Platform != It's Applications

    It's Simple: It's a Java rip off!

    --
    "Communism is like having one [local] phone company " - Lenny Bruce
    1. Re:Was that so complicated? by Corrado · · Score: 4, Informative

      When your friends ask, just tell them "It's a language-neutral Java knock-off..."

      The only problem with that statement is that it's not true -- .net is NOT language-neutral. It works well with "managed" languages that are very similar to C# (things like Java), but it fails to support a lot of ingrained things in languages that make them unique and usefull (like multiple inheritence in C/C++). Without this language dependent things, they are just so much foder. You might as well develop in C#.

      However, I've heard that C# is a pretty good knockoff of Java. :)

      --
      KangarooBox - We make IT simple!
    2. Re:Was that so complicated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      C# == Java
      .Net == Jini

    3. Re:Was that so complicated? by rbeattie · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I agree that .NET is a Java ripoff. I think, however, that Sun needs to rip off some good ideas from .NET.

      For instance the WindowsForms which are natively compiled components for building client-side applications. If Microsoft didn't do this, the client apps would probably have the same runtime performance problems that AWT and Swing has.

      I may be wrong, but I think that Java would be A LOT farther along today if it wasn't trying to be the purest cross platform language. I mean, the number of platforms out there are finite. Sun could write some native code for widgets for the most popular platforms, make the APIs open for people to implement on the less popular and Java apps would be much more competitive to anything Microsoft could come up with.

      I think that IBM has something like this with their SWT libraries in the Eclipse IDE... I think Sun needs to embrace that tech and put it on all their supported platforms. Then they could write major apps like StarOffice in Java and still have the usability of a fast GUI. Add in your basic SOAP calls to the J2EE servers and you've got yourself a real .NET competitor.

      Just my opinion,

      -Russ

      --
      Me
    4. Re:Was that so complicated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      When your friends ask about Java, just tell them "It's a ... Smalltalk knock-off..."

      I tried to think of something that Java ADDED to Smalltalk, but there's NOTHING.

    5. Re:Was that so complicated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If Microsoft didn't do this, the client apps would probably have the same runtime performance problems that AWT and Swing has.

      "If Microsoft didn't do it differently than Sun, the performance would be as incredibly shitty as Java."

      Wow, you make a great point!

    6. Re:Was that so complicated? by sh_mmer · · Score: 1

      This is the first time I've heard the IL being criticized for not being language neutral enough. The fact is there are two types of code, managed (run-time type checked, bounds checked) and unmanaged, together with a managed (garbage-collected) heap and an unmanaged one. Unmanaged languages can, quite naturally, be compiled to unmanaged code, so your implication that it does not do well with them is misleading.

      As for multiple inheritance, that is a headache even for writers of C++ compilers, so it seems reasonable that that feature is unsupported in the IL. Besides, what exactly do you want to do with multiple inheritance that you can't do with interfaces?

      In any case, if you've read any of the white papers that MS has published, you know that it's not MS who's saying that all features of any language under the sun can compile to IL. Nor, IMHO, should they. Like all works of software engineering, the IL makes compromizes to balance power and simplicity. At least on paper, they seem to have done a pretty good job.

      And, please spare me the obligatory "but it's MS, so they'll definitely find a way to f*** it up" followup. Come back and we'll talk in 12 months.

      sh_

      --
      Interested in learning Chinese or Japanese? check out Chinese/Japanese-English Dictiona
    7. Re:Was that so complicated? by Twylite · · Score: 3, Insightful
      For instance the WindowsForms which are natively compiled components for building client-side applications. If Microsoft didn't do this, the client apps would probably have the same runtime performance problems that AWT and Swing has.

      Please understand what you are talking about before repeating someone else's bullshit. AWT is natively compiled components. Like any system which must bind to libraries in another language, there are parts in the relevant language, and peers in native code.

      Swing uses the bare minimum of native components and creates its own widgets. This gives you the power to do things you can't do with Windows (and ComCtl32), Motif, Mac, whatever. Swing is not slow in and of itself: try running the program for a while and accessing all the GUI functionality, then all of the classes will be loaded and the JIT will have compiled most bytecode, and you can use Swing happily.

      FYI: if you want to improve Swing performance and are prepared to lose a little time at startup, force load all the Swing classes you use (using forClass() ), and unJAR the JRE classes.

      Another FYI: why don't Sun do this if it is so obviously superior? Because you can't. There is no cross platform GUI system which uses native widgets and can maintain integruity across platforms. Those which seem to go to extreme lengths to control or modify (by wrapping) the native widgets to bring them in line with their view of the world, and still end up breaking.

      Try writing something in Java or WxWindows Universal, and you will get identical GUIs on all your platforms. Go for WxWindows (normal) or Qt, and you have issues - and these are some of the best there are. Don't even talk about Gtk until you've used it on Win32 and discovered its idiosynchrosies.

      --
      i-name =twylite [http://public.xdi.org/=twylite], see idcommons.net
    8. Re:Was that so complicated? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then again, if you read the article, you'd know that .NET doesnt support multiple inheritence either.

    9. Re:Was that so complicated? by Baki · · Score: 2
      No matter managed or unmanaged code, .NET does require some specifics, it does not support general C/C++ or other languages in general, only a specific set.


      In that sence, I see no real difference to the JVM. Java is the main language to be compiled into bytecode, but one could also develop other compilers for other languages. .NET comes with two or three additional languages, but still C# is viewed as the main language for the future (and it is a clear Java ripoff).


      Using other external code (dll's in general, from generic C or C++ origin) is just like JNI. I fail to see a fundamental difference between Java/JVM and C#/.NET

    10. Re:Was that so complicated? by earache · · Score: 1
      Swing uses the bare minimum of native components and creates its own widgets. This gives you the power to do things you can't do with Windows (and ComCtl32), Motif, Mac, whatever. Swing is not slow in and of itself: try running the program for a while and accessing all the GUI functionality, then all of the classes will be loaded and the JIT will have compiled most bytecode, and you can use Swing happily.

      You obviously have never written an app for Windows with anything other then Java. It's relatively easy to make your app look like anything you want and there are a host of third party components/libraries that let you swap look/feel fairly easily. And if nothing strikes your fancy, you can write your own controls with their own look and feel.

      Delphi is a great environment for this sort of programming

    11. Re:Was that so complicated? by sh_mmer · · Score: 1

      No matter managed or unmanaged code, .NET does require some specifics, it does not support general C/C++ or other languages in general, only a specific set.

      to quote myself:
      [MS does not say] that all features of any language under the sun can compile to IL.

      [...]I see no real difference to the JVM. Java is the main language to be compiled into bytecode, but one could also develop other compilers for other languages. .NET comes with two or three additional languages, but still C# is viewed as the main language for the future.

      .NET is 1 day old, and has compilers for C#, C++, VB and Java. Third party products compile Perl and Python (both beta). Java is 6 years old, so your argument that people could (theoretically) write compilers for other languages to bytecode is unmoving.

      Look, I know you read slashdot, but you can't be that thick-skulled that you can't see any difference between JVM and .Net. Go ahead, read something from Microsoft. It's not gonna hurt.

      sh_

      --
      Interested in learning Chinese or Japanese? check out Chinese/Japanese-English Dictiona
    12. Re:Was that so complicated? by JohnDenver · · Score: 2

      Funny... My first draft was...

      It's a language-neutral (Or an attempt at being language-neutral) Java knock-off.

      How about, "It's a multi-language Java knock-off?

      It works well with "managed" languages that are very similar to C# (things like Java), but it fails to support a lot of ingrained things in languages that make them unique and usefull (like multiple inheritence in C/C++). Without this language dependent things, they are just so much foder. You might as well develop in C#.

      As per previous discussions on slashdot regarding this, you *CAN* implement features like multiple inheritance for a .NET language, and you really are free to implement whatever crazy scheme for your language.

      What's limited is how components in the different languages can talk to each other. For example: VB does not support operator overloading, but C# support operator overloading. So, in order for VB and C# to talk to each other, they must use a lowest-common demoninator interface scheme. (In this case, C# may expose the operator+ method as operator_plus (I'm making this up to simplify things))

      Languages are free to implement whatever crazy scheme or ontology they choose. The only condition is that if it wants to interoperate with C# or VB, it needs to know how to marshall between .NET's common language interface.

      So, It's a yes/no thing. You can really create any language in .NET (as you can with Java if you want to write a parser/bytecode-compiler), but if you want VB to understand your languages' extented overloaded operators, you're going to have to find a lowest-common denominator way of doing that.


      --
      "Communism is like having one [local] phone company " - Lenny Bruce
    13. Re:Was that so complicated? by rbeattie · · Score: 2

      Oh Jesus, you're an arrogant bastard.

      There is no cross platform GUI system which uses native widgets and can maintain integruity across platforms.

      That's my whole frigin' point, butthead. Sun needs to concentrate less on a perfect cross-platform GUI system and more on a functional system. Whether you say AWT is native or not (sure doesn't FEEL native) is besides the point. I used Eclipse's SWT as an example: "The Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) is a widget set and graphics library integrated as much as possible with the native window system but with an OS-independent API. " Yeah it's definitely not the most in-the-lab perfect solution, but the SWT widgets are A LOT more responsive than SWING and available on the most popular platforms and is open enough to be implemented on others. Java is already a write-once, debug everywhere language so they might as well add a solution that makes the client apps usable. My point was that Java would be a lot farther along today if Sun had done this years ago instead of being stubborn dickheads like you.

      Try to learn not to be an asshole and read the posts.

      -Russ

      --
      Me
    14. Re:Was that so complicated? by Baki · · Score: 2

      Look, I may read slashdot (just like you), but that doesn't mean that I am prejudiced.

      I have read quite a bit on .net and have tried the beta-2. Indeed microsoft threw lots of resources at .NET, enabling them to start with 4 compilers (1 day old is nonsense, it has been in development for 1.5 years). Sun posed Java/JVM as something new and didn't feel like it had to provide migration paths by supporting many languages. Java is the language of choice on JVM, just as C# is on .NET.

      The point is, both use a VM with languages on top of them, one (.net) puts more emphasis on multiple language but that does not make a fundamental difference. If you think it is, you have been brainwashed by MSFT.

    15. Re:Was that so complicated? by sh_mmer · · Score: 1


      i'm not denying that .net is heavily influenced by java. that's perfectly clear. but the biggest innovation in java is machine independent bytecode. MS has taken it to the next level with source language and target machine independent CIL. your argument that C# is the "real target language" of CIL is as disingenuous as somebody writing off bytecode as targeting sun hardware because the best VM's ran on it.

      if you want to stick with java because it was around first or because sun is that much cooler than MS, or just because that coffe mug looks great on the top of your applets, that's your prerogative. i'll take .net because it's language independent, third-party friendly, and governed by an standards comittee and not a corporation.

      your argument that i am biased is, again, unmoving.

      --
      Interested in learning Chinese or Japanese? check out Chinese/Japanese-English Dictiona
    16. Re:Was that so complicated? by Twylite · · Score: 2
      Oh Jesus, you're an arrogant bastard.

      Thank you.

      Sun needs to concentrate less on a perfect cross-platform GUI system and more on a functional system.

      An my contention is precisely the opposite. The OpenSource world in general is obsessed with optimization, and couldn't give a shit for sound practices of software engineering. If the "real world" was so concerned about response time from their interfaces, why is everyone jumping onto the deliver-it-with-a-browser bandwagon?

      I have written many Java programs that simply work on Solaris, Linux, and Windows; the require no tweaking of the GUI or the underlying logic. From a commercial developer's point of view, that sort of reliability is orders of magnitude more important than "Oh my God, Java takes 8 additional seconds to load, and the menus are at least 250ms slower on popping up" (figures approximate for MagicdrawUML versus Visio).

      --
      i-name =twylite [http://public.xdi.org/=twylite], see idcommons.net
    17. Re:Was that so complicated? by Twylite · · Score: 2

      Hi. I'm afraid my point wasn't clear, and you are taking aim at the side ;) You certainly can't do something in Java that you can't do on the native platform (that would be impossible).

      My point was that when you have a cross platform library which itself does the rendering on all platforms, you can do things that you can't do with an equivalent library which delegates to native components. This primarily involves the behaviour of the widgets, rather than their look.

      A classic example of view problems occurs in Gtk and WxWindows, where it is very difficult to get a button on Win32 to render itself with anything but a gray background (a normal SetBackgroundColour() won't work). WxWindows is considered to be one of the most mature cross-platform GUIs, yet it suffers from this sort of problem.

      In terms of behavioural problems, each of the systems (win32, motif, mac) have their own logic for component layout, order of rendering, and order of message delivery to the widget. In order to make a reliable cross-platform GUI system these features need to be deterministic and reliable across platforms.

      When delegating to native components this becomes a very complex task, and involves a significant amount of processing (but not drawing) overhead. Using component emulation a-la Java and WxUniversal, you reverse the situation. You have a reliable, deterministic behaviour, which requires little tweaking or additional overhead to make it cross-platform ... but you have to rendering the graphics yourself.

      --
      i-name =twylite [http://public.xdi.org/=twylite], see idcommons.net
  21. Article is inaccurate. by Carnage4Life · · Score: 4, Informative
    Although the article is a decent technical overview of the .NET Framework I don't agree with the articles description of what constitutes .NET. From looking at .NET first hand I prefer Miguel's description of .NET which is
    Microsoft .NET strategy encompasses many efforts including: The .NET development platform, a new platform for writing software [.NET Framework discussed in article] Web services Microsoft Server Applications New tools that use the new development platform Hailstorm, the Microsoft .NET Passport-centralized single sign-on system that is being integrated into Microsoft Windows XP. [now called .NET My Services]
    Disclaimer: I work at MSFT but this is MY PERSONAL OPINION not some official claim.
    1. Re:Article is inaccurate. by imgaming.com · · Score: 1

      So how many of you felt kinda dirty just clicking on that Microsoft link? :)

      Kidding aside, its good to have a broad range or responses, especially when one is from the hive itself.

    2. Re:Article is inaccurate. by DrPizza · · Score: 5, Informative
      Read the first part of the article more closely. I acknowledge that there's more than just the Framework. But I haven't covered them in this article, as it's long enough already. This is what I meant when I said:
      .NET is also the collective name given to various bits of software built upon the .NET platform. These will be both products (Visual Studio.NET and Windows.NET Server, for instance) and services (like Passport, HailStorm, and so on).
      A follow-up will talk about such things as, VS.NET, Passport, Hailstorm, and so on. I feel that there are broadly two parts -- the framework itself (your first bullet point), and things that use it or manipulate it (your second, third, fourth, and fifth bullet points). I realize I glossed over them, but I will talk about them at a later date.
    3. Re:Article is inaccurate. by Guppy06 · · Score: 2

      "I prefer Miguel's description of .NET [microsoft.com] which is"

      Actually, they're more or less both right. What you just listed are the edges of .NET. The article talked about what's in the middle. It's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins because they're only making small adjustments to existing software. The web services and service apps envisioned are really the same old NT Server, IIS, SQL Server, VisStudio, IE, etc. but somewhat modified to accept and use .NET code.

      Adapting these apps to merge with .NET isn't much different from how Microsoft changed some apps to merge with Active Directory in Win2k for example, Exchange 2000 adds metadata classes to existing Active Directory accounts instead of creating its own accounts and directory like previous versions.

      Strictly speaking, Active Directory is just a directory service, but you could also include Windows 2000 Server (which uses AD for its domain structure), Exchange 2000 (use of AD described above), IE (new browser tools in the OS needed to browse and search the directory) as part of the entirety of "Active Directory."

    4. Re:Article is inaccurate. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Does it seem odd to anyone else that the interviewer's name is Dare?

    5. Re:Article is inaccurate. by J.D.+Hogg · · Score: 2
      "I prefer Miguel's description of .NET [microsoft.com] which is"

      UNDERSTANDING MICROSOFT 101 :

      The only information one can derive from a document hosted on a Microsoft server is that this document can be used my Microsoft to strenghten its propaganda, without being obvious Microsoft advertising. One example of this technique is "paid programming" on television : when some random person interviewed in the street tells you Bowflex really works, that person has been carefully screened (and often paid) to say that, and you are not watching a real interview. Another example of this is Miguel de Icaza explaining .NET : he is building a business around it, therefore has all the reasons in the world not to trash .NET and stay in good terms with Microsoft.

      "Disclaimer: I work at MSFT but this is MY PERSONAL OPINION not some official claim."

      UNDERSTANDING MICROSOFT 102 :

      "I work for Microsft, this is my personal opinion on Microsoft's products" : anybody who works for Microsoft for any length of time will adopt Microsoft's company culture (or else they won't stay at Microsoft for very long, due to the paranoid single-minded esprit-de-corps the company has been built upon). Microsoft's company culture precludes real personal opinion on any aspect of the Microsoft company and its products, and precludes expressing them if they are not in favor of Microsoft in any way. Any person who tells you he works at Microsoft but only expresses his personal opinions is either :

      Overwhelmed by Microsoft's company culture, and has assimilated the company's official lines as their own opinions

      A Microsoft astroturfer, part of the more and more subtle Microsoft astroturfing campaign

      A troll

    6. Re:Article is inaccurate. by dieMSdie · · Score: 1

      "Disclaimer: I work at MSFT but this is MY PERSONAL OPINION not some official claim."

      Translation: Yes, I work at MSFT, and I constantly defend them with every breath on /., while bashing anyone who denigrates this wonderful fantastic corporation. But .NET is great, take my word for it! I am unbiased!

      --
      Don't throw your computer out the window, throw the Windows out of your computer!
    7. Re:Article is inaccurate. by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      "The ONLY information one can derive from a document hosted on a Microsoft server is ..."

      "ANYBODY who works for Microsoft for any length of time will ..."

      "Microsoft's company culture precludes real personal opinion on ANY aspect of the Microsoft company .."

      "ANY person who tells you he works at Microsoft ... is ..."

      Absolute statements like those above are almost always false.

    8. Re:Article is inaccurate. by J.D.+Hogg · · Score: 2
      "Absolute statements like those above are almost always false."

      When was the last time you saw a not-quite-Microsoft-friendly document on a Microsoft site ? where can I see even a heavily refuted opinion that's openly anti-Microsoft, with the original text quoted and not the Microsoft-interpreted version of the original opinion ?

      I know several people who worked for Microsoft who all tell me the same thing about the Microsoft company culture : adhere unconditionally to the Microsoft way of be booted eventually. What's more, this fact is common knowledge.

      Microsoft did not get to be the monopoly they are by spreading information honestly or leaving their employees the choice to do so. This too is a well-known fact.

    9. Re:Article is inaccurate. by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      "When was the last time you saw a not-quite-Microsoft-friendly document on a Microsoft site ?"

      Well, MS's MSDN site includes articles previously published in magazines that while generally postive toward MS do include negative comments on specific details of MS products.

      "I know several people who worked for Microsoft who all tell me the same thing about the Microsoft company culture : adhere unconditionally to the Microsoft way of be booted eventually."

      Yes, you know a tiny fraction of the people who worked at Microsoft and based on their comments you've jumped to the conclusion that everyone who works there believes the same thing.

    10. Re:Article is inaccurate. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      " I feel that there are broadly two parts -- the framework itself (your first bullet point), and things that use it or manipulate it (your second, third, fourth, and fifth bullet points)"

      Actually, MS has horked the marketing again. The products currently being marketed as ".NET Servers" which don't use the framework at all.

  22. Ya know... by VivisectRob · · Score: 1

    Up until now, I really havn't given much of a damn about .NET because there have been so many conflicting definitions as to itz nature, purpose, present, or even itz future. It has been the equivalent of the computer world looking up in the sky at the clouds and calling each of the different shapes ".NET"... I'm surprised it took this long for everyone to step back and say "what the heck is this thing anyway"

  23. with apologies to SNL by freerangegeek · · Score: 1

    It's a desert topping AND a floor wax. Or more likely it's whatever Microsoft needs it to be to spread FUD.

  24. If it ain't new...it ain't news... by The_Real_MrRabbit · · Score: 1

    Gee thanks...this review has been there for over two weeks...and now someone creates a ./ item for it...is this a covert attempt to simply crash ARS because of some animosity on your part? Thanks *sshole...now I can't browse my favorite technical site... =8-(

    1. Re:If it ain't new...it ain't news... by DrPizza · · Score: 2, Informative

      OK. That's interesting to know. Given that, I, ah, wrote the article, and can guarantee that it wasn't finished, let alone posted, "over two weeks" ago.

    2. Re:If it ain't new...it ain't news... by The_Real_MrRabbit · · Score: 1

      You weren't by any chance posting your article while it was in progress were you? Because not only was I reading about controversies over .NET there the last two weeks...but also about what it was and entails... =8-)

  25. My Concern by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My concern with the open variants are what happens when you try to run an executable designed for M$ official verison of .NET and the Portable.NET or Mono stuff doesn't yet implement a specific class. Will they just bomb out? That wouldn't be any good considering that M$ has only submitted ~900 of 3000+ classes.

    Anyone know the answer?

    (this is a fake sig, I put it in the comment)

  26. Good summary by sydb · · Score: 2

    Another fairly good summary of .NET is Here.

    --
    Yours Sincerely, Michael.
  27. Is this article acurate? by Andrewkov · · Score: 1

    The article makes it sound like .NET is basically like Java. Java targets the Virtual Machine instead of a type of CPU or architecture, the article says that your compiler will make programs for the .NET runtime engine (virtual machine) .. I though .NET was was kinda like Gnome or KDE without the Window managers, just a framework and some libraries for writing programs. Isn't it supposed to be an API accessable from several programming languages? Maybe I'm the one that's confused!!

    1. Re:Is this article acurate? by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      Perhaps you need to re-read the article. It talks about language independence, amongst other things.

    2. Re:Is this article acurate? by __past__ · · Score: 1

      There are about 30 languages that can be compiled to JVM bytecode. Perhaps you need to stop reading slashdot all day.

    3. Re:Is this article acurate? by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      Perhaps you need to reread the article.

      I'm aware of such languages, and I mentioned them. I'm also aware of the issues with them -- few of them can participate on an equal standing with Java (Jython appears to be the biggest exception to this), whereas the same is not generally true of the .NET languages. Only a small subset of those languages are call and inheritance compatible with Java, versus nearly all (if not all) of the .NET languages.

  28. I just don't like Passport. by amhax · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I hate the idea that only one password gets me into everything. Do I want to trust Microsoft to be the weakest link in my security scheme? I don't have much faith in their security products thusfar, what is to insure that their password DB isn't cracked and everything I use is exploited because of it.

    I prefer my internal(memorized) password list.

  29. .NET by WndrBr3d · · Score: 2, Funny

    I've converted the Article into a Word Document that can be found here.

    Wonderful article.

    1. Re:.NET by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Word document? Oh, please.

  30. Behind .Net: #@ +10 ; Insightful @# by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    F$ck .Net. For that matter, F$ck the entire
    Microcslop hegemony.

    Marx_spork.

  31. BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by jeff13 · · Score: 2, Informative

    This article, rejected by Slashdot for this one I might suppose, has some thoughts regarding what other companies and groups think about .NET (Not exactly favourable) and mentions how other companies will be rolling out there own networks.

    I'm not sure how I feel about this statement.
    Microsoft is developing its own Java-like language, called C#, and it has developed a tool that lets those familiar with Java use their knowledge to create Java-like programs for .Net servers.

    1. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not sure how I feel about this statement.

      Microsoft is developing its own Java-like language, called C#, and it has developed a tool that lets those familiar with Java use their knowledge to create Java-like programs for .Net servers.

      You shoudn't feel bad. Let me translate.

      Microsoft has developed a new language that is familiar to Java programmers. They are also releasing the next version of Visual Studio with this new language highlighted.

      Pretty straightforward, if you ask me.

    2. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by jeff13 · · Score: 1

      Yea... pretty straight forward... like a dogs hind leg. If you had read the article at the BBC you might have clued into the concerns many people have about how useless this is and detrimental to the industry as a whole.

      Thanks for just brushing that off Coward.

    3. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The concerns that many people bring up have to do with paranoia that Microsoft is going to lock out 'undesireable' software vendors. That's seriously old news, e.g. DR-DOS.

      As for the industry's reaction to .NET, it is obvious from the article that some people like it and are interested in implementing it, IBM being one that coughed up a large sum to get .NET on Linux.

      As far as Hailstorm goes, apparently Sun and its consortium is coming up with a more sweeping identification system based on Java. Surprise!

      In all, the article was a mish mash of tired topics that just don't seem to go away.

    4. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and mentions how other companies will be rolling out there own networks.

      This statement is...well...stupid
      .net isn't a network, it's a bunch of things going on at MS, most notably the .net framework...
      plus it should be their, not there

    5. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by jeff13 · · Score: 1

      The concerns that many people bring up have to do with paranoia that Microsoft is going to lock out 'undesireable' software vendors. That's seriously old news, e.g. DR-DOS.

      It's linked from the BBC Sci/Tech front page. Guess someone thinks it's relevant. Dated Nov 9th, 2001.

      As for the industry's reaction to .NET, it is obvious from the article that some people like it and are interested in implementing it, IBM being one that coughed up a large sum to get .NET on Linux.

      Not correct. The word 'Linux' doesn't even appear in the article at all.
      "The open source attempts to rival .Net won significant backing early this month when IBM handed over $40m of software to a community of companies called Eclipse who are developing alternatives to Microsoft technologies. "


      As far as Hailstorm goes, apparently Sun and its consortium is coming up with a more sweeping identification system based on Java. Surprise!

      You have psychic powers eh? Good for you. Pal, no one knows a thing about those projects yet.

      In all, the article was a mish mash of tired topics that just don't seem to go away.

      You are full of...

    6. Re:BBCTech article - Rivals queue up to take on M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sticks and stones, Jeff.

      The article is crap. That people are afraid of what Microsoft is doing is nothing new. That Microsoft develops tools to use their new stuff is nothing new. That McNealy hates Microsoft is nothing new. That people sue Microsoft for reason X is nothing new.

      There are many reasons to hate Microsoft. Stuffing a handful of them into a single half-assed article isn't the way to make any points.

  32. Mod parent up by blakestah · · Score: 1

    The reality is, .NET is a platform to
    produce NET enabled applications.

    So is Java.

    Microsoft is trying REAL hard not to make it seem like they are re-inventing Java, whereas in fact they are reinventing Java.

    Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.

    So, all developers get another language to learn, harder than Java, and the public gets more fragmentation of the NET than before.

    Whereas the technical details between the implementations may differ, both exist for only one reason - to provide net enabled applications.

    1. Re:Mod parent up by clontzman · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Microsoft is trying REAL hard not to make it seem like they are re-inventing Java, whereas in fact they are reinventing Java.

      Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.

      First, Java works fine in XP -- you just have to (automatically) download the VM or get it from Sun.

      Secondly, the real advantage of .NET is that you can write in whatever language you want to and use components from other languages in your .NET programs. Those are hardly minor advances. Java has had a six-year head start, not to mention a vast amount of hype, and if it's the better technology, it'll hang in there. If developers like the .NET stuff better, they'll use that. In all likelihood, there will be a lot of different competing languages which will be good at different things. Nothing wrong with that, IMHO.

    2. Re:Mod parent up by TheAwfulTruth · · Score: 2

      Except that Java is also a language! .NET is the good bits about Java (portability) without it being bound to a single and frequently innapropriate language. That is a HUGE fundamental difference. It also goes further in generalizing the advertising and querying of object interfaces on single machines, local networks and the internet (ALA COM++ CORBA++ etc). Much farther reaching that Java ever got.

      --
      Contrary to popular belief, coding is not all free blow-jobs and beer. Those things cost MONEY!
    3. Re:Mod parent up by Steveftoth · · Score: 2

      .NET is not portable yet. Sun, unlike MS has made a commitment to 2 platforms other then it's own. Where is the MS web page about .NET on Solaris, Linux, *BSD or any platform other then Windows. Where can I download the (even beta) implementation that is recognized by MS?

      Also, if you really look at .NET you will realise that it is not at all language agnostic, in fact they have (to quote another .NET review) created the first 'skinnable' language system. Now every language can interact provided that they use the .NET santified interfaces to interact.

      C# is a neat language, it still remains to be seen if you can write code that is both quick and safe at the same time. (at the same development pace as Java)

    4. Re:Mod parent up by Anonymous+Coed · · Score: 1

      If only you knew what you were talking about.

      "Java" is a language.

      The "Java Virtual Machine" is a language-independent runtime environment.

      A "Java compiler" happens to turn "Java language" code into bytecode that happens to run on the JVM platform.

      You could write a "JVM compiler" for any language, say, Python, or Perl, or really any other language, that turns your source into the bytecode format required by the JVM. In fact people have done exactly that with several languages.

      Please tell me how the .NET CLR is any different in this respect?

    5. Re:Mod parent up by Steveftoth · · Score: 2

      The only diference is that the JVM doesn't like it when you ask for things like 'pointers' and 'unmanaged memory' and generally things that programmers abuse. Instead it only lets you create primitives on the stack and Objects on the heap. You have to circumvent the JVM all together via C dll/shared libraries to get access to the real machine under the VM. While the CLR has a way to get access to the machine (unsafe code anyone). Also, the CLR defines ways to interact inbetween languages other then C which the JVM doesn't. Languages like LISP cannot be compiled to bytecode because the JVM doesn't support tail-recursion.
      Not that I want to write any .Net Lisp. or any lisp really.

    6. Re:Mod parent up by dachshund · · Score: 1
      Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.
      First, Java works fine in XP -- you just have to (automatically) download the VM or get it from Sun.

      I'm sorry, how does the first statement contradict the second one? If you need to download a VM to get Java support, then it certainly sounds like Java isn't supported by default.

      It's tangential, but said download is quite time-consuming for those folks who don't have broadband.

    7. Re:Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One could argue that if you want to get access to the "real machine" under the VM, you shouldn't be using a VM. Just write native code.

    8. Re:Mod parent up by blakestah · · Score: 3, Informative

      Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.


      First, Java works fine in XP -- you just have to (automatically) download the VM or get it from Sun.


      That is precisely what I said. XP drops default Java support.

      Secondly, the real advantage of .NET is that you can write in whatever language you want to and use components from other languages in your .NET programs.


      Look, this is a load of bull and you should know it. Any language that maps onto C# cleanly is the reality. Similarly, there is nothing to prevent you from writing a java bytecode compiler for just about any language, so this is no different either. But simply, java is structured a lot like C or C++ without requiring its programmer to micro-manage memory. So, it is just not that hard to program in.

      Also, it won't matter much whether developers like it. Microsoft will practically pay them to write C# apps instead of Java apps, and Microsoft has the bank to do it. Default Java support is gone, which effectively kills it for recreational computer users (client end support, anyway).

      No, .NET is about one and only one thing. Network enabled apps to take the place of Java. The details are different, but the motivation and niche in the marketplace is the same. All the rest is just clever marketing from Redmond, as usual.

    9. Re:Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If developers like the .NET stuff better, they'll use that. In all likelihood, there will be a lot of different competing languages which will be good at different things. Nothing wrong with that, IMHO.


      I disagree entirely. Why is it whenever any popular new technology emerges Microsoft have to go reinvent the wheel rather than simply getting behind the standard without corrupting it (which is, ultimately, the best thing they could do for their customers)? I can hear you saying they "tried" but why should the industry get behind yet another incompatable variant of the platform independant runtime, only this time pushed by a notorious multiply convicted monopolist corporation? It is bad enough that Sun decides the direction of Java, why do we need to take a step backwards with .net?

    10. Re:Mod parent up by TWR · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Languages like LISP cannot be compiled to bytecode because the JVM doesn't support tail-recursion.

      Funny, I don't remember the x86 opcode for tail recursion. Or the 68K, SPARC, or PPC one. Would you care to remind me what it is? I guess since there isn't one, it's impossible to run Lisp on Windows, Mac, Sun, or IBM boxes.

      Every computer language in existence is Turing-complete; they product code that runs on Turing machines. Some of these Turing machines may be faster or more efficient, but they're all equivalent.

      -jon

      --

      Remember Amalek.

    11. Re:Mod parent up by leviramsey · · Score: 1
      Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.

      Some kinda troll, but I'll bite.

      I'm not a Microsoft apologist by nature, but the real reason that Microsoft dropped support for Java in XP was Sun's refusal to open up Java (as in "open to a standards body"). Microsoft quite simply isn't willing to use a standard that could be changed at any moment without their software being ready. On the whole, I can't blame them.

      Sun has made more than enough money off of Java. They ought to do the honorable thing (a la AT&T wrt C and C++) and submit the language and libraries for standards review.

    12. Re:Mod parent up by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 2

      Why do you bother commenting when you didn't even read the article?

    13. Re:Mod parent up by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 2
      Blakestah, stop posting and go read the article. You keep making points that the article points out are common mistakes.

      For example, you say you can write Java bytecode compilers for other languages. However, what you overlook is that that doesn't enable you to use components from those other languages in Java, nor does it enable those languages to use Java components. The key to using components from other languages is not compiling the languages to the same bytecode...it is using the same object model.

    14. Re:Mod parent up by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 2
      Please tell me how the .NET CLR is any different in this respect?

      Here's a link to an article that explains it.

    15. Re:Mod parent up by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 2

      the real reason that Microsoft dropped support for Java in XP was Sun's refusal to open up Java (as in "open to a standards body").

      And why do you think Sun refused to submit Java to an open standards body? Can you say embrace, extend and extinguish?

    16. Re:Mod parent up by jejones · · Score: 2

      Well...you may find that the language you want isn't the same in its .NET incarnation. I understand that a bunch of the languages that are being made to target .NET can't move over exactly, so they end up as different languages happening to use the same name.

    17. Re:Mod parent up by clontzman · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Default Java support is gone, which effectively kills it for recreational computer users (client end support, anyway).

      Look, we're splitting hairs here about what "drops default Java support" means. To say that it drops support implies that the OS no longer supports Java. It does as long as you have a VM installed (which, again, happens automatically the first time you hit an applet).

      Secondly, it's hard to argue that Java was particularly relevent to "recreational computer users" anyway. Very few desktop apps that "recreational" users depend upon are written in Java and applets are less common than ever, so what's the big? Look at it another way -- you get to choose your VM, and isn't choice a Good Thing?

      I'm not sure what's "bull" about the fact that you can use multiple languages in the .NET CLR. You CAN. Yes, they have to be .NET aware, but isn't that kind of obvious? It's still a good idea and, by all accounts, it's implemented well.

    18. Re:Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > And why do you think Sun refused to submit Java to an open standards body? Can you say embrace, extend and extinguish?

      In its early days, before Java use was as widespread as it is now, such 'protect the young' efforts were needed. Java's been around for a while now, and attempts by MS to do what they did before would run up against a Substantial installed base.

      So, what's the reason for not opening these days?..

    19. Re:Mod parent up by Trepalium · · Score: 1

      And you're ignoring the fact that .NET doesn't magically make the object model compatible -- it basically forces apps to use the C# object model. The ars article gets fairly caught up in the marketing that Microsoft has put out on .NET, without addressing the limitations inherent in MSIL. For the other side of the coin, you should read http://www.javalobby.org/clr.html, which is the perspective on .NET's components marketing claims from the perspective of a Java engineer. It is, of course, biased, but he does have good technical arguments.

      --
      I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.
    20. Re:Mod parent up by Trinition · · Score: 2

      Secondly, the real advantage of .NET is that you can write in whatever language you want to and use...

      Has no one written a compiler to compile other languages to the Java VM? If not, why not? It's a virtual machien with a virtual instruction set. Surely there are some things in that machien that favor Java, but that doesn't mean they couldn't help, much less, prevent, another language from being compiled to it.

    21. Re:Mod parent up by Raffaello · · Score: 1

      " Languages like LISP cannot be compiled to bytecode because the JVM doesn't support tail-recursion.
      Not that I want to write any .Net Lisp. or any lisp really."

      It shows. The ANSI Common Lisp standard doesn't require compilers to optimize tail recursion, so some lisps don't - maybe you're thinking of scheme.

      Taking your first point second, Lisp can be compiled to bytecode. The issue isn't whether it's possible - of course it is, you could even write a Common Lisp compiler in Java if you like. The issue is performance. The JVM and its restrictions make optimizing lisp code very difficult, so lisp compiled to java byte code, even if JITted, runs much more slowly than lisp compiled to native machine code.

    22. Re:Mod parent up by jameslore · · Score: 2, Insightful

      One small thing - generally, it's not the developers who pick what they write. It's management, who do it on a basis of what looks popular, what their customers (also upper management) will want, what fits their budget and finally, what fits their strategic partnerships best.

      The bad news is that technology and "what's best" never comes into it. :-(

    23. Re:Mod parent up by anshil · · Score: 1

      Just coincidental that Windows XP drops default Java support.

      Which is a good thing in my eyes, The ms java VM was simply broken (Segfaults, Dr. Watson) and incompatible either way, better deliver non than a broken default installed to the users, in the second case they are sure to get a working one from sun.

      --

      --
      Karma 50, and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt.
    24. Re:Mod parent up by Malcontent · · Score: 2

      "Secondly, the real advantage of .NET is that you can write in whatever language you want to and use components from other languages in your .NET programs. Those are hardly minor advances."

      On what planet is this an advance?
      Ever hear of a thing called COM? Yes I was able to call components written in delphi from php go figure!.
      Ever hear of CORBA? I believe it's been around a while and allows you to *gasp* use components from other languages even over the net.

      .NET is simply the next way to write windows applications nothing more nothing less. It's useless for anybody wanting cross platform programming. I think more people are interested in writing for more then one platform then using five languages to write one program. The latter is simply a silly idea and a solution to a problem nobody has.

      --

      War is necrophilia.

    25. Re:Mod parent up by Baki · · Score: 2

      With JVM you can also use other languages than Java, in that sence there is nothing new. The only difference is that SUN only supports and develops Java, and some others have developed other compilers to compile other languages into JVM bytecode (which has an open spec, so anyone can port any language which fits the JVM model). Just like .NET, the VM model does require some adaptions and constraints, which is why .NET does support C++ but only a subset (without multiple inheritance, for example, making C++/.NET virtually useless IMHO, realistically there is no reason to use anything else but C# on .NET, just as 99% of JVM users use Java).

      As for what developers like better: I fear that the biggest impact could come from "strategic" considerations instead of what developers like better: Shops targetting only Windows shall go the safe route, i.e. do what Microsoft says and develop for .NET no matter what. Shops that value cross-platform have no other choice but Java/JVM. I don't think that competition on a technical level shall matter much (especially since technically spoken there are hardly any differences).

    26. Re:Mod parent up by fredrik70 · · Score: 1

      There're quite a few other languages ported to the JVM, JPython springs to mind for example.
      check out this page for more...

      --
      if (!signature) { throw std::runtime_error("No sig!"); }
    27. Re:Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Java has had a six-year head start, not to mention a vast amount of hype, and if it's the better technology, it'll hang in there.

      Yes, because we all know that superior technologies always win out in the marketplace.... slick advertising has nothing to do with it. *cough*beta*cough*newton*cough*

      dan.

    28. Re:Mod parent up by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 2

      In its early days, before Java use was as widespread as it is now, such 'protect the young' efforts were needed. Java's been around for a while now, and attempts by MS to do what they did before would run up against a Substantial installed base.

      So, what's the reason for not opening these days?..


      The same reason as before. J# and C# are essentially efforts by Microsoft to take over the same niche that is occupied by Java. If Microsoft could slap the Java logo on one of those products, Microsoft could still use it's market dominance to take over Java.

  33. Not explicitly OS independant... by Rexifer · · Score: 1

    If you look at the MS documentation, they pretty readily mention the language agnostic aspects of .NET, but I've *never* seen them mention the OS independant thing... Since they're essentially using bytecode, everyone assumes that .NET is platform agnostic, as well. But... so was Microsoft's implementation of Java. Which was not 100% cross-platform compliant. Now that the spec is in the hands of an organization that can't legally enforce 100% compliance, my question is, how does this help me as a developer? There's just as much opportunity for divergence as if I were using language-centric approach.

    1. Re:Not explicitly OS independant... by DrPizza · · Score: 2, Informative

      FWIW, MS's JVM was 100% conformant, and Visual J++ produced 100% conformant binaries; the problem was that it supported some extra bits and pieces (P/Invoke, most notably, which essentially exists in .NET as the wonderful DllImport attribute).

      OS independence is brought about by compiling to bytecode (which frees you from hardware constraints) and sticking to the core class library (which frees you from platform constraints), or using classes common to multiple implementations (for instance, WinForms, which are available on both Mono and .NET, and maybe even the shared-source FreeBSD implementation).

    2. Re:Not explicitly OS independant... by geoffreya · · Score: 1

      It may be a matter of semantics, but doesn't "Platform Independant" most often refer to -- in Microsoft's own literature -- hardware platforms and not software platforms? It's quite obvious they want to support data access (and services access) across many hardware platforms -- but don't they also want some version of their own OS on all these platforms?

    3. Re:Not explicitly OS independant... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's my understanding that PInvoke broke JNI, not that I tried.

  34. Duh, I'm not laughing. by Penguinoflight · · Score: 1

    that's zone.com like I said in my post. Maybe you should have read my post. I felt like making a joke but couldn't think of anything funny about .net, because it might actually succeed in the enterprise, but only if they're all lunatics.

    --
    "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
    1 John 4:14
    1. Re:Duh, I'm not laughing. by Merconium · · Score: 1

      Ooops, I guess that's what I get for not previewing! I added an s by mistake. I did know exactly to what you were referring. I stillo maintain that the relationship Passport has with .net is only one piece of the puzzle.

  35. Its COM+! by rufusdufus · · Score: 0

    Hey, the thing described in the article is what they used to call COM+ until they didn't make the ship date for Windows 2000.

    Make no mistake, .NET is pure FUD. Its a name made up by marketing one day, and development was told to make something that would fit into the marketing scheme.

    .NETs only substance is a java clone, passport and messenger.

    1. Re:Its COM+! by rufusdufus · · Score: 1

      To be clear; MS did ship something called COM+ in Windows 2000, but it wasnt the COM+ project, it was just a bunch of bug fixes, the COM+ team did not make the ship date, but they had to ship something with the name for marketing reasons.

    2. Re:Its COM+! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, COM+ was a bit more than you say (lots more). Its clear you no little about MS COM based technologies and nothing about .NET.

      Please refrain from commenting negatively on technologies you have only "some" experience and knowledge of.

    3. Re:Its COM+! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is quite clear that you know little to nothing of the English language. ("you KNOW" not "you no")

  36. You want the collective /. answer? by gosand · · Score: 4, Redundant
    The collective /. answer is probably "Microsoft's latest secret method for leveraging their monopoly to take over the world."

    IMHO, that is probably pretty darn accurate. Nobody knows exactly how just yet. Yeah, it sounds like I am paranoid, I have good reason to be.

    Microsoft^H^H^H^Hpoly

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

    1. Re:You want the collective /. answer? by tshak · · Score: 2

      Ironically the site you link to runs on IIS and uses ASP.NET, the Web Application Framework of the .NET platform.

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
    2. Re:You want the collective /. answer? by gosand · · Score: 2
      Didn't know that. Guess I should make sure I have backups. ;-)

      If you meant the irony that "MS is taking over the world, and I linked to a site that ran IIS and .Net", then that is pretty ironic. If you followed the link and checked out the Tshirt I designed, it is even MORE ironic.

      --

      My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

    3. Re:You want the collective /. answer? by tshak · · Score: 1

      If you followed the link and checked out the Tshirt I designed, it is even MORE ironic.


      Yes, I got that too :-)

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
  37. Classes and APIs more important than language by nmnilsson · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Programming Windoze for a living, I couldn't care less about language interoperability and all that hype.
    It's neat. But that's it.
    In my experience, language skills comes a distant second to knowing your OS.
    What I really hope for are quirk-free class libraries, and bugfree APIs. I'd have to find a new job then, of course... :)

    --
    No sig to see here. Move along.
    1. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by __past__ · · Score: 1
      Language interoperability as implemented by .NET is definitely not "neat".

      There are two major problems with that. The first is that, if you make use of the promise that every developer can use the language they are used to, you end up with a lot of code written by some crazy guy in Brainfuck.NET, while the other guy now responsible for it does only know about COBOL.NET. Not a good idea.

      The other problem - which happens to be kind of the opposite view on it - is that all those funky languages are interoperable just because they are forces to be basically the same (an artice posted some days ago on the exact same subject called it "skinnable languages").

      You don't get the the advantages of different languages, you just get different syntaxes. For example, there is no multiple inheritance in the CLR, so there is no multiple inheritance in C++.NET. This whole language interoperability crap comes down to the equivalent of
      #define BEGIN {
      #define END }

    2. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by PaulGibson · · Score: 1
      Let's see here. We could continue with things how they are now: You understand that you must use good coding practices in order to promote cross platform compatibility. So you use a solid design and standard C or C++ to develop with. For the GUI you create classes with virtual functions and override them where necessary for Windows, Xm, Open GL, etc. You compile a version on each platform you intend to use it on.

      OR

      you decide that you would like to be able to not put much thought into design and abstracting the GUI calls from the actual code, and want to only write it once for everything in the world. You end up with something like JAVA, slow, buggy, and not working quite right on any platform.

      The windows development environment is slick, and I use it a lot. But I still prefer writing Apps that use the Xm/Motif calls. But commercial apps should be written in standard languages with cross platform compatibility, ie, not VB. Right now C and C++ are the best things going. .Net does nothing to improve things for C/C++ developers, but does a lot to help VB "developers"

    3. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by DrPizza · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Except it doesn't.

      The restrictions are imposed *by the CTS*.

      If you want your class to be exposed to other classes it must conform to the CTS's rules.

      If you merely want to make use of .NET's features -- compiling to IL, a nice class library, and so on -- you can use MI and case-sensitive identifiers and all that lovely stuff. Provided that your compiler supports it, of course. The C++ compiler does, and it works just like it does in native code. The CLR has no problem with multiple inheritance (it doesn't really *know* about it, but it doesn't really know a great deal about single inheritance, either, so that doesn't matter at all).

      If you want to use those features but also expose them to other languages (thus, you need to conform to the CTS), you can wrap your non-compliant code in CTS-compliant code.

      What you see as a major problem is seen as others by a major benefit. Some languages are more suited to some kinds of development than others. .NET levels the playing-field somewhat, by ensuring that they have equal access to a fairly rich class library -- it means that the *only* distinguishing feature is the language, rather than the choice one used to have to make, of "which language and library do I want to use?".

    4. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by __past__ · · Score: 1
      it means that the *only* distinguishing feature is the language

      The languages syntax. Nothing more. For example, you won't benefit from Erlang's very efficient thread implementation with a (AFAIK imaginary) Erlang.NET. Just see the various ports of languages to the JVM (and there are many, that isn't a feature of .NET only) - all of them are crippled in one way or another.

    5. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by BitwizeGHC · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This reminds me of something...

      One of the early premises behind the Guile project was that all languages are essentially Scheme, modulo their different syntaxes. Guile was thus to become a Scheme interpreter with various syntax front ends on it to translate from Perl, Tcl, etc. Essentially achieving language independence in a unified runtime. The Guile team has largely abandoned these efforts, however, and concentrated on making Guile a practical workhorse Scheme for standalone use or embedded in a larger program.

      I'm a big Scheme and Guile fan, and a part of me is disappointed... Scheme, being self-extensible, would make for a much more robust base upon which to construct a language-neutral runtime than the C# and VB-oriented CLR.

      --
      N4st0r, trixx0r h0bb1tz0rz! Th3y st0l3 0ur pr3c10uzz!
    6. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, Scheme is a nice language and all, but the bottom line is that Scheme is so obscure that any platform based on it would fail.

    7. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by alangmead · · Score: 2, Informative

      That is because the FSF started the Guile project so that people would stop using TCL as an extension language. The basis of the Guile project was RMS's declaration Why you should not use Tcl When people stopped trying to use Tcl as an extention language to GNU code, the Guile developers were less motivated to create a system that could understand Tcl syntax.

    8. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      Can you explain what aspect of the CLR makes a usermode thread implementation impossible (presumably this is how Erlang's "very efficient thread implementation" works)?

    9. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by uradu · · Score: 2

      I think DrPizza's only failing was to fully bring over to you the notion that Java bytecodes are higher level than IL: they make considerably more assumptions about the nature of the high-level language than do IL instructions. IL is essentially platform-neutral assembly language, so any code you could express in assembly you pretty much can in IL. You should be able to write an IL compiler for any existing language, provided you don't expect the resulting code to be reusable in any OO fashion by other .NET languages. The .NET-ness you object to only comes in when you are trying to expose a reusable object hierarchy that other .NET languages can inherit from, or when you want to take advantage of the CLR infrastructure (such as gc). In that case, the (high-level) language has to impose conforming restrictions.

      Take things like C++ templates, or operator overloading, or multiple inheritance, or contracts: all these high-level constructructs are things that only the respective compilers have to worry about. The resulting object code knows nothing about any of this. A weak analogy: you can write a DLL that exposes a single function which fills in a buffer with memory offsets that your code (and only your code) can use as function pointers to call, or you can write a DLL that exposes all those "proprietary" functions as regular DLL entry points which any program can use. Both DLLs will work just fine, but only the latter will be of any use to a wider audience.

    10. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by r · · Score: 2

      Scheme, being self-extensible, would make for a much more robust base upon which to construct a language-neutral runtime than the C# and VB-oriented CLR.

      actually, some of the features of CLR are there specifically to make the implementation of scheme, lisp, and other functional languages much easier. the main example is tail recursion. (ie. the idea that you can speed things up immensely if you don't need to allocate new stack frames for function calls, just reuse the one already on top). scheme, which requires tail recursion support by R5RS, was a complete hog when compiled down to java, because the java VM would insist on doing tail-recursive functions the naive way. but the CLR has tail-call function support built in - so you can write your recursive loops and other such, and they'll run as fast as regular iteration (not to mention they'll be much cleaner). this makes writing a scheme-to-CLR compiler downright pleasant in comparison to scheme-to-Java compilation. :)

      CLI actually goes to great lengths to remain language-agnostic, while providing lots of useful features, like GC, code security, or strong typing across languages. it seriously looks like it could be the One Runtime to bind all languages. which would be perfect, actually - we could write all of our code quickly and cleanly in our superior language, and only use other peoples' libraries for the boring parts such as sockets or XML parsing. :)

      --

      My other car is a cons.

    11. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by mikec · · Score: 2

      Unfortunately, Guile got off to a very bad start. One of the very first things they did was to break compatibility with Scheme in some fairly stupid ways. The result was that the existing Scheme community, which could have been their biggest asset, mostly turned their collective backs on the project. The whole episode was really amazingly stupid: a wonderful pportunity was wasted because of the arrogance of a few people. Sad...

    12. Re:Classes and APIs more important than language by monkey+typewriter · · Score: 1

      The reason for not using Scheme as an intermediate language? Something about compilation time, no?

      --
      Ahh, my favourite rhetorical recipe, the tautological soffle.
  38. Move along, no neutrality here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    When your friends ask, just tell them "It's a language-neutral Java knock-off..."
    Don't. Point them to One Runtime to Bind them All instead, which is a good read on the topic of the (absence of) language neutrality in the CLR.
    1. Re:Move along, no neutrality here... by MrBandersnatch · · Score: 1

      agreed - anyone who wants to understand .Net and what CLR is should read this - it certainly opened my eyes and I currently have projects in both .Net and Java.

      I dislike Java. Immensly. Mainly because I've written a LOT of code for it and am tied to 1.1.x versions of the language (Cross platform portability? FEK OFF!!).

      Having played with .Net it HAS learnt from Javas mistakes but its going to be a few years before it matures and it is going to make the same mistakes I suspect. Cross platform portability though? FEK OFF!!!

      DRINK!!!

    2. Re:Move along, no neutrality here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I dislike Java. Immensly. Mainly because I've written a LOT of code for it and am tied to 1.1.x versions of the language (Cross platform portability? FEK OFF!!).

      I'd say you dislike early-days Java; what do you think of the current (JDK 1.3.1) and future (1.4) Java?

  39. That's good. by FreeLinux · · Score: 1

    A detailed technical explanation of .NET, for those that were interested but were still to lazy to look at MSDN for themselves.

    That said, the hype of .NET is increasing and it will no doubt become the "standard" for Windows development. But, regardless of the promises and conceptual or theoretical "superiority" of .NET, I can't help but think that this is yet another layer of complication. Yet another standard is broken by Microsoft (C++ class inheritance for one). I predict that .NET will be the ire of developers of the future. It will make us long for the "simpler/better" days of MFC and COM.

    I think that I'll take a step back. From now on, all my development work will be done in QBASIC. ;)

  40. What is .NET? by J'raxis · · Score: 2

    It is four bytes long.
    It is three US-ASCII letters preceded by a period.
    It can also be written as 0x2E4E4554.
    Or, 0x4BD5C5E3 in EBCDIC.
    It has a total ASCII value of 277 (712 in EBCDIC).
    Its checksum is 303cb0ef9edb9082d61bbbe5825d972a.
    Goes great with .COM and .ORG.
    Alone, it gets blocked by the caps lameness filter.

    1. Re:What is .NET? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe it is in big-endian notation.

  41. duh! a domain name extension by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    .net is a domain name extension you fools, just like .com or .org. duh!

  42. Review misplaces priorities by RovingSlug · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This is perhaps a little disappointing. ... But these features are somewhat notable omissions from Microsoft's first release; profiling JIT compilers are becoming common in the Java world, and optimizing native code compilers are becoming the norm, with considerable benefits from their use.

    Stability before performance, every time.

    Or he'd rather be writing, "The JIT produces fast code, but sometimes crashes."? Or, ".NET is vaporware, still three to five years on the horizon."?

    The reviewer should recognize and applaud the focus of the developers. Because you know they were sitting around saying, "Wouldn't it be nice if we did this fancy optimization...". Instead, they put first things first.

    "Premature optimization is the root of all evil," D.E. Knuth. Learn it. Live it.

    1. Re:Review misplaces priorities by dachshund · · Score: 1
      Or he'd rather be writing, "The JIT produces fast code, but sometimes crashes."? Or, ".NET is vaporware, still three to five years on the horizon."?

      Yes, if Toyota introduces a reliable, functional vehicle with a top speed of 25 MPH, it's unreasonable to imply that they should have built a faster, less safe car.

      On the other hand, it's decidedly reasonable to wonder why they couldn't build a functional vehicle that goes as fast as any of the other functional cars on the market.

      Just 'cause Microsoft's new to the game doesn't mean their 1.0 products shouldn't be compared against whatever else is out there. Of course, given that there seems to be a strange understanding that .NET will be universally adopted no matter how good or bad it actually is, perhaps you're right that we should just be happy it doesn't catch fire...

  43. "Decent" article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    I think the author of this article should look over the titles of each section and make sure they match with the content. Here's an example: "Is this MS's [latest] attempt to kill Java?" And then the article proceeds to NOT answer the question.

  44. SAT time: by base3 · · Score: 2, Funny
    .NET : MONOPOLY
    o (A) government : tax
    o (B) sponge : water
    o (C) car : travel
    o (D) tank : invasion
    o (E) girder : bridge

    This is a hard one! The good news is that the SAT has no guessing penalty.

    --
    One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
    1. Re:SAT time: by psyco484 · · Score: 0

      (D), like the tank being used in an invasion, .NET is just another tool being used to strengthen Microslave's monopoly.

    2. Re:SAT time: by base3 · · Score: 1

      Ding! Though I tried to make them all pretty much correct. I was wrong about the guessing penalty--the SAT takes 1/4 point for guessing; the ACT is the one that doesn't.

      --
      One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
    3. Re:SAT time: by heideggier · · Score: 1
      Slightly OT;

      I think some scientist type dude's did a study and showed that if you can't decide on a question then you should always go for C since it is normally the most common answer.

      Hope this helps someone out with their SAT's

      --
      Pianist : Some jerk whos taught themselves how to type in rhythm
    4. Re:SAT time: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The answer is E. .NET creates the structure to continue MS's monopoly like a girder is used to create a bridge.

  45. Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by djradon · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Anyone who wants to develop for .NET needs to shell out at least $1,079 for Visual Studio. That's $1,079 more than it takes to develop in Java, and $1,079 too much.

    How can Microsoft afford to shut out all the developers that don't have big corporations backing them? Why not at least give away the compiler and class library?

    1. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no @_@, you download the SDK for free ($0.00) from msdn, much like you would download the JDK for free ($0.00) from java.sun.com. get a grip @_@.

    2. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by djradon · · Score: 1

      I guess they do give the SDK for free. Oops.

    3. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by overturf · · Score: 5, Informative

      > Anyone who wants to develop for .NET needs to shell out at least $1,079 for Visual Studio

      Or... you can go out to MSDN and download the .Net Framework Software Development Kit for free (*connection charges apply) at this link

      From the description:
      The Microsoft® .NET Framework Software Development Kit (SDK) includes the .NET Framework, as well as everything you need to write, build, test, and deploy .NET Framework applications--documentation, samples, and command-line tools and compilers.

    4. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Zurk · · Score: 1

      hmm..it doesnt work on anything but windows NT (even win95/98/ME are not supported) but at least its free.

    5. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Skapare · · Score: 2, Troll

      To Microsoft, the only developers that count are the ones with $1,079 and more. That does mean big corporations and others with plenty of $$$. And Microsoft wants to favor those with $$$ so they can get more of that $$$ by creating a platform that requires more machines to run. More machines means more installed systems and more $$$ goes back to Microsoft. Microsoft can easily afford this because it is part of the strategy to cause more $$$ to be shifted to them. That is what business is about, like it or not (personally, I don't like it, but I deal with it).

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
    6. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In addition to the already mentioned downloadable SDK, you can get a GPLed IDE written entirely in C#: SharpDevelop, which serves as a pretty good demonstration of the potential of the framework. It certainly seems faster and nicer than any java-based IDE i've tried... (except for the fact that it loads sluggishly the first time you run it, as the runtime is loaded, there's no apparent difference from a native win32 app)

    7. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your sig:
      Do not send me money via PayPal anymore.

      Wow, were you really having a problem with people sending you unsolicited money?

    8. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by 1in10 · · Score: 1

      You can get the .NET platform SDK which AFAIK does have the basic libraries and compiler (not sure if it's an optimising compiler or not).

      Sure you don't get all the VS.NET goodness (which is SUPERB btw), but you can get some level of tools for free.

    9. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Rogue+Orion · · Score: 1


      Actually, that is innacurate. If you want to develop for .NET, all you need is a text editor and the .NET framework redistributable (which you can download for free). If you want to use a rich IDE, you would need to purchase Visual Studio .NET.

      As an alternative, I've heard that there are a couple of open source IDEs for developing on .NET which are also free(ie. SharpDevelop for C#).

    10. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by tshak · · Score: 3, Informative

      Anyone who wants to develop for .NET needs to shell out at least $1,079

      The Software Development Kit (all necessary dll's, compilers, etc.) is free. There are also a handful of free IDE's.

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
    11. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why don't you head down to the Stanford bookstore and buy a student priced edition of VS.NET

    12. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Peyna · · Score: 1

      It hasn't been officially released yet, so they won't have it just quite yet. My school has one of those nifty deals with MS where we get most office/devel/os products for $5 per cd (cost of making the cd supposedly), so if I wait an extra month, I can get it for probably $25. Wee!

      --
      What?
    13. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Makes sense to me. Get developers writing stuff to work on your products, or they go down the tubes.

    14. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by beerale · · Score: 1

      Why did every reply saying "the SDK, with all the DLLs, and ALL the compilers, is available for free download, and there are several OPEN SOURCE IDEs as well" get scored down below a 3?

    15. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by philipdl71 · · Score: 1

      They are giving it away to students apparantly. The CS Dept. here at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign will soon be receiving a machine donated by Microsoft that allows students to develop .NET Web services on.

      We are all truly overjoyed about this, of course.

    16. Re:Why I won't be developing with .NET: $$$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Works fine in 2K and XP.

      You shouldn't be developing in 9x anyway.

  46. Here's the definition, straight from the source... by Numair · · Score: 1

    What is .NET?

    .NET is your life made truly mobile. It brings you new, more wonderful ways of communicating with the people you care about most. It's wireless reinvented.

    .NET

  47. MS and Buzz by Sarcazmo · · Score: 1
    OK, so I read the article, at least most of it before the server became really laggy.


    MS seems so fickle. It's like they keep developing tons of different "cool" things, and never make any of them very good, and keep making the same critical mistakes. ActiveX, COM, DAO, ADO, .NET.... All these really neat technologies, always messed up by MS and their tunnel vision.



    ActiveX would dominate the Internet right now, if only it were an open standard. COM is neat and all, but only if you never want to run on anything but Windows.




    By wasting their time constantly trying to force everyone else out of the market with closed standards, they gave up the chance to have their standards dominate the world.



    This is why I think Mono is dangerous. Suppose we have support on Linux/BSD/Whatever for .NET, it really gives .NET a chance to get a foothold as an "open" standard, allowing MS the chance to later on embrace and extend their own standards



    I wouldn't be very surprised if MS was really behind Mono in some way, maybe they finally did learn from their mistakes. I don't make deals with the devil, and neither should anyone else that values their freedom.

    1. Re:MS and Buzz by Sarcazmo · · Score: 1

      You work for MS, don't you? Or maybe you develop Windows apps all day? Come clean!

    2. Re:MS and Buzz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not strictly true, there is a DCOM implementation for Solaris. And if you don't want to do DCOM and want simple in-process MTA stuff, it's trivial to write yourself.

      The real issue is that all the people that know and love COM don't give a flying f*ck about *nix, so why bother?

      .Net will be popular with Windows developers, after all in a few years they won't have much choice. It's pretty unlikely there will be many converts from the other platforms, but then, here never is.

    3. Re:MS and Buzz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gee, people complain about Microsoft because they were very closed.

      Now they open things up more and people still complain.

      They're being more open with the .NET framework than Sun was with Java.

    4. Re:MS and Buzz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's microsoft man. Sun wasn't a monopoly. Sun didn't try to break everything that was an open standard in an attempt to kill all other operating systems. If any other company were developing .NET, I might even be interested in developing for it, but were talking about MS here, the worst bunch of scumbags in the world.

  48. Sure, .Net's Great by jonnyfish · · Score: 1

    In theory, .NET is great. Microsoft is supposedly doing this to make development much easier. In theory, that is.

    Personally, I think the idea of having a common environment is great--one source, one binary. Now, obviously this will never replace the old source + native binary combo altogether, but it will surely gain support in areas where speed and memory aren't critical (and with the relatively low cost of modern computers, it's going to become more and more common).

    The problem, though, is that if we move to a common platform, it has to be a standardized and accepted platfrom. .NET is Microsoft .NET, not OUR .NET. As long as someone (be it Microsoft or otherwise) tries to push a "proprietary standard" (two contradicting terms, I am sure), such a "standard" can only divide the development community.

    Ambition is as much a vice as it is a virtue.

  49. .NET WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It will make your wife look better (and thinner), the flowers smell more fragrant, your black and white tv will become color and HD TV cable ready.

    Don't really understand Java? The ATL Dispinterface got you down? Don't worry, because .NET brings easy 1-2-3 COM programming to you in the form of the all powerful and easy (as in your first girlfriend) VB Script.


    10 print "I rule d00d"
    20 goto 10

  50. My Biggest Problems with .Net by tomq123 · · Score: 1

    I've been a Visual Studio developer for a number of years, and I've done some testing with the Visual Studio .Net beta. The biggest problem I see with the new version is that they have changed a lot of things within the environment and within the languages, especially VB.

    Not only has Microsoft changed the languages (VB) they have also changed how things connect together to build applications. You can't just drop a data aware control on a web form and set it's DataSource property to the data control on the same form. You can do it, but it won't work. Also, what's the deal with the help now being displayed in the same area of the IDE as the source code. I much prefer the older the help system were you could switch easily between the two screens.

    Personally, I don't think Microsoft gave much thought to the current Microsoft developers, and they have changed how things work. This really pisses me off because one of the reason I liked Microsoft's development tools what the consistency between older products and the newer products.

    I'm glad that I'm pretty much focused on Java development these days. I've always thought Microsoft had some very good development tools, but IMHO this version is very weak.

    1. Re:My Biggest Problems with .Net by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      VB.NET has pissed off a lot of VB programmers. I'm not sure why, they should be used to it by now. But it has.

      The VS.NET interface is great. I finally can use the same interface for work (VB, C#) as I can for play (C++, C#). If you want the help window in a separate window, BTW, you can do that just fine and dandy. Tools... Options... Environment... Help. "External Help".

    2. Re:My Biggest Problems with .Net by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The help being in the IDE is only one of the settings. You can change it here:

      Tools > Options > Environment > Help > External Help

      The IDE is incredibly customizable like this. I suggest you go hunting through the options.

      It's true that VB.NET is largely overhauled. Old BASIC features were culled and new OOP features added. There would have been no way to satisfy both camps of Visual Basic developers, and concessions had to be made.

  51. Question : what's the benefit ? by selderrr · · Score: 1

    By now I commence to understand what .NET is all about : the CLR, the framework, the services, the language-independence.

    Cool. Nice. Stuff to keep geeks busy is always good.

    Where's the advantage for me : Joe Avrg. Programmer ? I mean : what does .NET offer me that C++ libraries & frameworks such as MFC, Powerplant, cocoa and others don't (I know cocoa is mac only, but .NET was not intended to be cross platform, so that's not an argument)

    Apart from the easy way to integrate authentication, I see little advantage for average programmers. Maybe behemoths like MS or Adobe can turn this tech into an advantage, but for stuff like hailstorm or passport, they could as well have written a library or simpler interface.

    - The ability to call VB code from inside C# code ? Comeon... 99% of average programmers don't need that.
    - garbage collection ? I have that with java
    - frameworks ? huh ? .NET framework is basically MFC rewritten in C# with some additional stuff that they could have pumped into MFC or a lib.
    - CLR ? Still a mistery to me why that would be an advantage...


    If anyone can shed some light on all this, I'd me darn thankful !

    1. Re:Question : what's the benefit ? by __past__ · · Score: 2, Funny
      what does .NET offer me that C++ libraries & frameworks such as MFC, Powerplant, cocoa and others don't?

      Hype?

    2. Re:Question : what's the benefit ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you think the CLR classes are MFC rewritten in C# then, as someone who has written with both MFC and C#, I have only two things to say to you:

      1. Boy, you are so wrong. Windowsforms is *SO* much easier and consistent then MFC.

      2. Go read the article again.

    3. Re:Question : what's the benefit ? by wichtolosaurus · · Score: 1

      You're correct. Once again, one could say "this code behind-idea is a java rip-off!".
      Forget that. Cheers for the positive.
      One of *THE* Windows Forms benefits is the slick and really cool-to-use GDI+ - encapsulation. Eyecandy never been so much fun.

  52. Oh! I get it!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    .NET is Visual Java++ running on every MicroSoft Windows enabled computer in the world!!!

    Great! I must hurry and enable my computer.

  53. C# is like Java; .NET is XML based services by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IMHO (after going to a MS /NET Developers conference) C# is like Java. .NET (which is not C#) is a general vision of XML based services on the Internet - including support in a wide variety of DB and server products for XML and related protocols (Soap et al).

  54. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  55. MS is developing for FreeBSD?!?!? by lkaos · · Score: 1

    I'm amazed that more folks are screaming here.

    MS's implementation of the CLI isn't alone. Aside from some MS-led effort to provide a version for FreeBSD, ...

    WTH is this? MS is developing a version of CLI for FreeBSD? I can't believe they are using FreeBSD to circumvent Linux. What's worse is that I can't believe the FreeBSD people are going along with this. I guess someone forgot to mention that Free doesn't really go well with Monopoly...

    How come more people aren't bitching about this? They use Apple to circumvent Sun and now are blatantly using FreeBSD to circumvent Linux and yet no one seems to care. I don't get it.

    --
    int func(int a);
    func((b += 3, b));
    1. Re:MS is developing for FreeBSD?!?!? by sydb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You can't believe it? It's a natural part of their onslaught on the "viral" GPL. And it makes a Mac version just moments away.

      --
      Yours Sincerely, Michael.
    2. Re:MS is developing for FreeBSD?!?!? by __past__ · · Score: 1
      Ever read the BSD license, or cared about that little word "free" in free software at all?

      What do you expect, the "FreeBSD people" sue Microsoft because they don't want them to develop for their OS?

  56. MS.net is a Java clone ... (no doubt !) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anybody that got skills on Java platform and experince in a deeply way .net will agree that statement !

    You may argue what ever différence you want but the fact is here : it is a Java clone !

    It is a sad dat for MFC, DNA, VB, VC++, ... users because MS have just f**ked them up buy killing their skills just because they fear Java !

    MS user : Welcome in the Java world ! Welcome in a clean world ! Welcome in object modeling and polymorphism ! Welcome in massive distributed architectures !

    MS.net will not have any impact for Java users but existing MS user have to worry about their bucks ... now they are forced to lean modern techniques ! But Java existing users are already on the playground :o)

    This means that all MS architect skills are void and they will face with Java architecte that already play with such a platform since at least 4 years !

    Sad days for MS users ...

    I still thinkg that by cutting their legacy for the very first time, MS have shoot them-selves into their feets ! And they may soon realize it ...

    -4R34'/

  57. Re:Metathis and Metathat by yintercept · · Score: 1
    Yeah, it sounds like I am paranoid

    I think you have a good cause to be paranoid. MS is trying to push out and control a new metalanguage. This process of elites defining new metalanguages has gone on throughout history. Almost all dictatorships pull this type of metalanguage crap.

    Stepping up to the plate and defining a new language or changing the definition of terms is one of the oldest methods to oppress the people. When you work yourself in the position that you can redefine terms, the rest of the world becomes helpless. You gain absolute power. All you have to do is make a subtle shift in the definition, and it will throw your competition off their feet.

    Look at how many times Microsoft has pulled off a redefinition of OLE. Each time they changed the definition weakened anyone using the the product.

    Microsoft is not the only one guilty of trying to monopolize a market by defining a metatheory. Rational is basically a company that does nothing but play in the meta language games. Sun plays the same game with Java, etc..

    Generally things go wrong with the elite redefine terms. Look at Enron. The elite new-economy accountants found clever ways to redefine liabilities. Poof, one day, all the idiots who invested in the company found their investments gone.

    Other pathetic examples of meta theories happen all the time in politics--like Clinton's trying to redefine what "sex" with an intern means. Sorry about the rant. I just get sick of people who play definition games.

  58. It's not fair... by cpparm · · Score: 1

    to say .NET is a Java rip off. Since C++, a lot of progress has been made in the theory and practice of computer science. Java took advantange of some of that(not all), and .NET just adopts some of the similar principals.
    Java itself is by far not the cutting edge when it comes to programming language, and it's not like most of it hasn't been implemented in one language or another.

  59. Actually excited about .NET by Tom7 · · Score: 5, Insightful


    I'm excited about .NET (when I say that, I mean the CLR). I think it's an idea (while not very original) whose time has come. I think that superior technologies exist (for instance, stuff like typed assembly language), but none are really mature enough to be rolled out across the board.

    And really, Microsoft.com is the only one that could manage to make this a reality. As much as I hate the company, I can't help but feel grateful that I'll finally be able to write apps in a nice high-level type safe garbage collected language and have that be the most well-supported method. (And if others start using high-level languages, maybe my computer will not crash so much, or have so many buffer overflow sercurity holes.)

    (As an aside... I fucking hate when people (like the author of this otherwise good article) use the word 'whilst'. Just say 'while'. It's not like we live in Medieval Britain.)

    1. Re:Actually excited about .NET by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      "whilst" is perfectly normal in modern english the UK. Which is where I am from.

      Whilst it might not be common in the US, I couldn't give a tinker's cuss, as I'm not a septic, and don't pretend to speak like one.

    2. Re:Actually excited about .NET by Snafoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Um. 'Whilst' is perfectly acceptable modern English, no matter where you live (except possibly in whatever cave you crawled out of, my dear primitive primate).

      If you want a language without fun synonyms, use Esperanto, which remains the one true 'Common Language Runtime'.

      But you know what? Everyone uses English, Spanish, or what-have-you for international communication, instead. Because we like 'whilst', and words like it --- inefficiency and redundancy and all.

      I have a hunch that many developers will feel the same way about all those little bevelled edges on .NET that they do about Esperanto, and Haskell and Scheme and all previous attempts to prune the messy, crazy tree of human creativity: "Gee, this is Formally Correct, but who cares?" (I say this as a big fan of Scheme, believe it or not; I'm just documenting the typical C programmer's reaction to it.)

      OTOH, whatever degree of language neutrality they 're planning is certainly a leap in the right direction -- less to change, less to learn. However, quite a few of my fellow coders won't be happy until they have a complete Win32 implementation running atop .Net ;)

      And as for that whole spin about .Net being the death knell for the x86? Well, lemme share a prediction: ten years from now we'll all be using Pentium Elevens with full 386 backward compatibility and toaster-sized nitrogen-cooled heat sinks.

      Just my floor(e) cents.

      --
      - undoware.ca
  60. dll hell by stud9920 · · Score: 1
    from the article
    It eliminates ".dll hell". Multiple versions of "the same" assembly can co-exist in the GAC, which means that libraries no longer have to maintain backwards compatibility with their predecessors, and that a program will always get the version it's expecting. This can be done even within the same program -- if you have a web server, you can run multiple versions of the same application within it, side-by-side.
    Uh ? That is a decent solution ? Wasn't the goal of DLLs, like any dynamic library system, to gather a bunch of much used functions in order to save place on the HD and/or in memory ? If each application wants to run a different version of the DLL, shouldn't they use *static* libraries instead ? Obviously we waste time with dynamically linking those *different* DLLs each time (OK not that much), so static linking would be more interesting.
    1. Re:dll hell by DrPizza · · Score: 4, Informative

      Well.

      The GAC is reference-counted -- if you no longer have any applications using an assembly in the GAC, it'll get removed (there are some provisos, but that's more or less how it works).

      And the GAC does have shared libraries -- it just provides a mechanism for having different versions of those shared libraries. If a bunch of applications all use the same version of the same assembly, then they'll use the same file. So there's still a benefit over static libraries. It just also fixes the problems that have ocurred with dynamic libraries. When they *can* be shared, they will be, but unlike Windows' previous DLL implementations, it doesn't _require_ them to share the same version, even if they're not compatible.

    2. Re:dll hell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd rather have a couple different library versions floating around on my hard drive than have those functions repeat over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over in every single binary I have.

    3. Re:dll hell by stud9920 · · Score: 1

      Or another solution to DLL hell : keep the hell off the original DLL. Put you stinking extentions in *your* binary, or in *your* additional DLL, don't touch the original DLL. If there something wrong about the original DLL, don't use it. Most of the time, DLL extending is due to not understanding the original.

  61. Microsoft C++ remains compliant by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsoft C++ still does multiple inheritence just fine, both set to compile straight to x86 or to IL. There is a difference between CLS classes in C++ and native classes. The latter maintains multiple inheritence, while the former loses it for .NET interopability. Unfortunately a CLS class cannot inherit a native class, or vise versa. The .NET features are exposed specifically through new keywords, like __gc, which denotes a garbage collectable CLS class.

    __gc class MyCLSClass : public System::Object {
    ...
    };

    class MyNativeClass : OtherClass1, OtherClass2, OtherClass3 {
    ...
    };

    Managed Extensions for C++ Reference

    Every c/C++ program that I have tried to compile with Microsoft C++ 7.0 with the /CLR arguement has compiled, regardless of complexity. Code specified in headers and libraries are compiled into the assembly, including inline assembler.

  62. VB changes, C++ changes, J++ changes by mmacdona86 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Which goes to show that "language-neutrality" is a myth. The CLR can't even support VB without changing it into a C#-work-alike.

    1. Re:VB changes, C++ changes, J++ changes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      It would have been possible to extend the current Visual Basic over the .NET platform. Microsoft took into account that Visual Basic included about 20 years worth of legacy garbage (GOSUB, ON ERROR) which was seriously hampering it's ability to grow. Microsoft also had a very long laundry list of features that people wanted to see incorporated into Visual Basic.

      J# compiles all Visual J++ directly to .NET with no issue, as does Microsoft C++ using the /CLR arguement. COBOL.NET is both completely CLS compliant and COBOL-85 compliant.

  63. Ok. Rant mode. by amhax · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Ok, now THIS post is offtopic. Whoever the fucking moron is who fucked me over by modding me down is a fucking idiot. In no way was my above post offtopic. If I hadn't been modded down, then I might have enough karma to be invited to Meta-Moderate, in which case I would have rammed that stupid moderation down your ass. The topic was on .NET, which is a STRATEGY of providing standardized webservices on the Internet. Microsofts front cash cow of promoting and utilizing .NET IS their Passport system. By voicing an opinion of mine that was CLEARLY on topic, and then being modded down this shows one of two things:
    • The moderator is a moron who knows absolutely nothing on the topic.
    • There is a problem with the moderation system and things should change
    I know this is a stale, trite argument that is not going to do anything, but seriously. I post and read Slashdot daily because so far, none of the moderation problems have affected me. I didn't realize how serious the problems were. This site is geared towards a community of individuals with a slightly higher level of intelligence, but this system seems to be degrading to a level of absolute un-usability.

    Make Corrections As Needed
  64. Unfortunately... by certron · · Score: 1

    No one can be told what .NET is...
    You have to see it destroy your privacy and then crash for yourself.

    OK, so that is blatant trolling. Oh, but it was fun. :-)
    certron

    --

    fair.org counterpunch.com truthout.com indymedia.org salon.com
    eff.org guerrilla.net debian.org gentoo.org
  65. MS Plot to Hobble IA-64? by johnthorensen · · Score: 1

    Ok, it's conspiracy theory time ;)

    According to the article, JIT compiling (such as that used extensively by .NET) doesn't work too well with processors that rely upon the compiler to do most of the ordering of instructions. IA-64 happens to be an architecture of this type, by design in fact.

    Is it possible that MS saw the inroads the Non-MS OS's were making into IA-64 land and were gladdened at the coincidence (afterthought or no) that their new .NET strategy wouldn't play as nicely, and would possibly slow acceptance of the new architecture?

    Just a thought...

    -johnthorensen

  66. Bertrand Meyer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    An interesting read was linked off of that Gnome guys discussion about .NET that was all rage for a bit.

    Interestingly, I didn't know he (Bertrand Meyer) has created a training course on .NET.

    Who knows which came first, his interest in .NET or his training course?

  67. Re:-1 Flamebait by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the original post had bothered to read the article, then my mod suggestion would have been unnecessary. Add to the situation that some idiot moderators actually modded him UP(!), and there's all the more reason to leave my "-1 Flamebait" post up.

  68. What is ".NET"? by lowdozage · · Score: 0, Troll

    A complilation of Microsoft technologies that looks like a block of Swiss cheese.

    A virtual keychain - a place to put all your important information and loose it ALL at the same time.

    --
    Apple is like a strange drug that you just cant quite get enough of they shouldnt call it Mac. They should call it crack
  69. Would this explain the banner ad? by generic-man · · Score: 1

    When viewing the front page of Slashdot just now, I saw a banner ad advertising Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. "This is a box. Now feel free to think outside of it."

    I thought I'd never see the day. Microsoft has bought a banner ad on Slashdot!

    --
    For more information, click here.
  70. .NET according to Steve Ballmer & friends by Foundryman · · Score: 3, Interesting
    It's interesting that I just got back from Chicago, where MS put on a release party for Visual Studio .NET to approximately 6,000 attendees, and find this article on Slashdot.

    I don't think they ever gave a straight-forward definition that clearly stated that .NET is this and this. If they did then I missed it.
    The show started out with a welcome message from the Microsoft Technology Evangelist...no, really, that was his title.
    Next came Steve Ballmer who came out to work the crowd into a frenzy and tout all the things .NET could do. He introduced and chatted with several MS employees on some of the things .NET could do. I especially liked their comparison to Sun's J2EE Pet Store sample application. They've got this comparison available on the web at:
    http://msdn.microsoft.com/net/compare/default.asp
    (I hope Sun posts a followup on Microsofts claims in this comparison)
    After this they worked the crowd into another frenzy by randomly giving away three of the XBox games. Then they brought out some folks who gave success stories on implementing .NET. After three of these we broke for lunch and I went home, still not being clear on what .NET is, exactly.
    All in all it seemed like I heard mention of several different items:

    .NET

    Visual Studio .NET

    .NET Framework

    .NET MyServices

    .NET Server ...and probably some others I missed. I'm going to visit Microsoft .NET Defined and see if that helps clear anything up...

    1. Re:.NET according to Steve Ballmer & friends by bryanbrunton · · Score: 2


      Sun already replied to the MS Pet Store implementation. Sorry but I don't have a link to the reply.

      Basically, MS implemented a thin DB class layer over some stored procedures and compared it to a full J2EE example application. For some crazy reason MS's pathetic knock off unenterprise ready example is faster.

      Just more MS FUD.

    2. Re:.NET according to Steve Ballmer & friends by underpaidISPtech · · Score: 2

      You're not supposed to know, silly.
      It's all marketing. Everybody gets to go home and bandy about the buzzword of the year, impress their other marketing friends, and blow some hot air at the regualr staff during a meeting.
      It's a pep talk.

      All the PHBs that attended are sitting around right now, drawing names out of a hat to see who gets the can so they can afford .NET

  71. Dumb Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have to ask a dumb question: Are there any new applications that I could not build before under Java that I can build now under .Net? or is the development time that much faster that it is worth making the leap from Java to .Net?

  72. Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by mmacdona86 · · Score: 1

    ...and it has all the advantages of which you speak.

  73. Re:-1 Flamebait by sydb · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Don't worry, myself and others have made your point too. There are lots of stupid people around with mod points.

    --
    Yours Sincerely, Michael.
  74. You honestly can't figure out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gee, you're such a REBEL for saying that slashdot sucks. You're definitely going against the RISING TIDE OF POPULISM there.

    Bet you don't even realize the irony inherent in decreying a medium by way of that very same medium. Fuckwit.

    1. Re:You honestly can't figure out... by sydb · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      I put my karma behind what I say, unlike you.

      --
      Yours Sincerely, Michael.
    2. Re:You honestly can't figure out... by sydb · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Also, it's decrying, not decreying. Oh, and there's no irony involved, Alanis.

      --
      Yours Sincerely, Michael.
  75. What .NET is... by AdamBa · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Throughout its history, Microsoft has defined three platforms for application developers: DOS, Win16, and Win32. You could argue that COM is a separate platform or an extension of Win32, but the basic idea is the same. At every stage of the development of the personal computer, software developers have asked, "How do I write an application?"

    And Microsoft has provided the answer: Here is the runtime model, here are the APIs you call, here are some tools you can use, here is how to get help if you have problems.

    Now substitute a web of connected personal computers -- the Internet -- for a single one, and developers are still asking, "How do I write an application?" And Microsoft's answer is, .NET.

    DOS provided very few services to application writers, but with the Windows APIs, things got more sophisticated: support for graphics, for printing, for various other input and output devices, and eventually for networking. These were filtered through a standard Microsoft-provided operating system to various third-party devices, each with their own device driver, which performed the actual work.

    In the .NET world, the "API" will handle Internet-related issues such as password verification, price calculation, payment, and so on. The "operating system" will be a set of always-available Web sites that may then dispatch the actual work to third-party sites -- the "device drivers" in the .NET model.

    That is an excerpt from a longer article which I wrote back in November 2000.

    - adam

    1. Re:What .NET is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Golly I can't wait for somebody
      to tell me where I want to go.
      Please tell me Bill!!!!

      You make me sick

    2. Re:What .NET is... by PurpleBob · · Score: 2

      Your article appears to be the same idle and wrong speculation that this article is debunking.

      The Internet is not an operating system, and thank God it isn't, because it's slow and unreliable. (Insert joke about Windows here.) All the features you mention are on the outskirts of .NET - though of course everyone, especially Microsoft, hypes them up because they're so buzzword-compliant.

      .NET is mostly a new runtime; that part is at least correct. But it runs on ordinary computers. Not some hypothetical "computer" that is the Internet, an actual computer that you own. Microsoft in fact realizes that people want to run applications on their own computer, something which tech journalists haven't understood since the whole "Network Computer" ordeal.

      Now that this parent article has explained what .NET really is without the journalistic, hype-able crap, I believe I wouldn't mind if (to pick a prominent example) future versions of GNOME use .NET. It wouldn't use the crap like Passport authentication. It would use the useful parts.

      But why is everyone else focusing on the marginal "Web Services" part of it and partying like it's 1996?

      --
      Win dain a lotica, en vai tu ri silota
  76. If you really want to do web services now... by smagruder · · Score: 2

    then go here. You can't beat Borland.

    Then again, .NET and web services are destined to become the next great niche, but that's another story.

    --
    Steve Magruder, Metro Foodist
  77. Look, Ma, it's portable! by kwerle · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Could be they're being untruthful. Wouldn't be the first time. Although...

    Maybe it is portable. Maybe it *IS* real easy to port. Maybe they already have it running on FreeBSD, linux, Solaris, and Plan9.

    Doesn't mean they're release it for any platform other than windows...

  78. .NET problems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have you actually been reading up on .NET part of the specs actually read "it allows you to write unsafe code" yet MS claims to be serious about security. Also in the previews for .NET MS went well out of their way to show that it will work with other web browsers ETC but that it will not work quite right and if you want it to work correctly you will have to run it on a windows machine with IE as your browser. Hint Hint it is designed to lock companies into a windows only solution from server to desktop-if another system is in the infudtructure .NET doesn't work correctly or looses some of its "high end" it functionality.

  79. Where can I find a class library diagram? by nobodyman · · Score: 2

    There are quite a few posters and and pdf's that show a graphical representation of the core java class library. I've looked for something on the .NET side of things but have been unable to find anything. Anyone know of such a beast?

  80. Re:Ok. Rant mode. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The moderation is correct. The security of the Passport authentication system is not being discussed here, but rather, the .NET framework of web services, the C# programming language, and Visual Studios development environment.

    Passport is, indeed, unrelated to all of these.

    You show that you have quite a command of the word "fuck", however. Good show.

  81. True, but also remember... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...belated pessimization is the leaf of no good!

  82. Word on Linux by Fuseboy · · Score: 1

    When I can copy Word from my Windows machine to my Linux machine and it runs, then I'll be fully convinced of the viability of the cross-platform CLR.

  83. VMs, JITs and C# by SimonK · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The author is confused about JIT compilers and virtual machines. A virtual machine is just a piece of software that executes programs in some machine-code-like language. It does not necessarily interpret the instructions. Indeed, almost all virtual machines compile to the local machine's instruction set at some point.

    A JIT compiler is a technique used in virtual machine design to speed execution. Technically, a JIT compiler ought to compile code as it reaches it on the execution path for the first time, but thanks to some sly work by Symantec, its become acceptable to call something a JIT compiler even if it actually compiles all the code at load time regardless of whether it is executed or not. Hence the complaints about Java's startup time. Microsoft's efforts in this direction seem faintly bizarre to me. All previous evidence is that keeping compiled code around between runs is not worth it. However, I suppose since they only really support one platform, it won't really cause any problems.

    C# is very much not "C++ for rapid application development". It's a completely different language, much more closely related to Java. While C# and Java share C++'s syntax, their underlying semantics are more closely related to Beta or Smalltalk.

    As I would expect from someone who obviously doesn't know much about VM or language design, the author also makes far too much of the CL?'s cross-language abilities. While it has good support for implementing functional languages, as far as the much more important OO features are concerned, it is only going to work well for statically typed, single inheritance, single dispatch languages that don't need to do any code generation. Its is my contention that any OO language that can be implemented on the CLR can be implemented equally well on teh JVM.

    1. Re:VMs, JITs and C# by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      I'm not confused. A JIT does a once-off [1] conversion from bytecode to native code. An interpreter within a VM does it every time. The VM has in effect a "software processor", the JIT does not.

      [1]: It may convert more than once, for instance if it discards the converted form due to memory constraints, or to create a better optimized form, but it still generally converts fewer times than it calls each piece of code.

      The CLR supports whatever you want it to do. The CLR supports MI inheritance if your compiler does. It supports prototype-based OO. It supports runtime code-generation. What doesn't support such things is the CTS, which is (necessarily) a subset of functionality common to numerous languages. A compiler does not have to constrain itself to the CTS, and some (for instance, the C++ and JScript compilers) do no such thing.

  84. Dissassembly of "binaries" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I assume this IL has to have a decent level of abstraction above the hardware in order to compile to multiple architectures efficiently(unless multiple hardware platforms means only ia64 and x86). Wouldn't this make it much easier to dissassemble? I understand many things will have digital signatures, but that doesn't matter much if you can easily remove signature checking after a dissasembly ;)

  85. Real advantage? by mmacdona86 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You can write in "whatever language you want" as long as the language has been designed (or re-designed) to work with the CLR. You don't use VB with the CLR, you use VB.NET. You don't use C++, you use a bastard hybrid Managed-C++. You don't use Smalltalk or Scheme or Perl, you use something that's kind of like Smalltalk or Scheme or Perl. Not that big an advance, if you ask me.

    1. Re:Real advantage? by ClosedSource · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's not the biggest advancement but it is a viable marketing strategy. Why do so many new languages look so much like C? It's not because C has the ultimate syntax but because programmers are more likely to use a new language if it looks familiar to them and C is widely known.

      If a Smalltalk programmer is happy with his current ability to create applications, he'll probably stick with it. If he finds some advantage to target the CLR and Smalltalk.NET (whatever it might be called) isn't that different from plain old Smalltalk, he might use it.

    2. Re:Real advantage? by PurpleBob · · Score: 3, Funny

      Or you can use Brainfuck.NET :)

      (I didn't make this, but I find it highly amusing. Yes, Brainfuck is an actual language, and this is an actual package that makes it compile to .NET.)

      Can I use BrainFuck.Net to write webservices?
      No. Well, probably not.

      Does BrainFuck.Net use the controversial Microsoft Passport system for authentication?
      No. The Brainfuck language has only 8 commands, and none of them are related to authenticating remote network users.

      --
      Win dain a lotica, en vai tu ri silota
  86. But Microsoft's not quite sure what it is yet... by the_skywise · · Score: 1

    .NET does to the internet what the WIN16/32 API did to the PC. Eventually establish a monolithic layer between you (your app) and your information (your hardware).

    Microsoft was trying to do this with COM, but was having trouble getting an interoperable binary standard going on anything other than an intel platform. Java showed them the solution to that problem, and thus .NET was born.

    .NET's strength is that it will (supposedly) allow for the Java power of write once, run anywhere to developers, while still maintaining Microsoft's control as the middle layer (you go through us to get to your computer/information).

    Everything else (web services, server apps, hailstorm, etc) are the initial attempts to capitalize on that power. (Rented apps, centralized data stores for everybody so they can see their MS Money statements from any computer in the world! type stuff) But it remains to be seen if that will be viable.

    Either way, it's a win-win for Microsoft. If these services are accpeted, Microsoft gains the ability to not only control your hardware, but how you access your information as well. If full blown internet services don't take, .NET falls back to a windows-centric position that is now ready to go on Macs, 64 bit processors, and even XBoxes without modification.

    But other than THAT, developers are still locked to a whereever Microsoft goeth, I goeth... proposition.

  87. My first thoughts after reading this: by germanbirdman · · Score: 2, Interesting

    - All in all I like it.

    - Will future processors be able to run the IL in some sort of protected mode?

    - What scares me is all the public/private key signing. While this is good for preventing viruses, it makes hacking software (almost?) impossible. I am thinking of hacking a DVD player to play all DVDs from all regions (of course in DMCA free zones LOL), or just in general being able to make versions of a program work with an alternative library.

    The more I think about it, this .Net stuff together with MS's patent on a "secure" computer that only runs DRM enforcing applications is all starting to come together. Perhaps they really are developing a .NET processor and a hardware public key hash checker making running non .NET stuff next to impossible. People will buy it because of the speed increase in applications.

    1. Re:My first thoughts after reading this: by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      Hack your runtime to no longer care if an executable's stored hash doesn't match up with what it's calculated to be.

    2. Re:My first thoughts after reading this: by underpaidISPtech · · Score: 2

      *Crazy ranting voice, removes clothes*
      *Begins to douse self in petrol*

      I just want to complain a bit here about the fact that all this PKI-ish assemblies and .NET whatever sounds like a good security model that would protect the OS and apps from trojans, virii, and cracking.

      Isn't this what everyone wants MS to do? Clean up their act?

      OTOH, I see your point about the double-edge of security inhibiting "fair-use". But really, the lock on your door denies me "fair-use" of your microwave, or your toilet, should the need arise, and I find myself in a jam.

      Everything comes at a cost. Our ability (freedom if you will) to communicate via this forum means that we need to login and we prolly are firewalled too. Better security in Windows probably means an increased likelihood of DRM hardware and software, and an end to fair use (for the consumer -- I'm sure fair use of our private info in all forms will still be extended to The Corporation).

      So which do you prefer:

      1. Not having to deal with CodeRed.NET and only being able to watch that new LOTR DVD on an MS platform-compatible, DRM-compliant SONY player and .NET really turning out to be MS-Java, and MS "extending" the standard over time, with the result being something (off the top of my head here) akin to shitty browser implementations that can't render the same fucking page. (Mono vs dotGNU vs .NET, no communicado wrt to certain "features" available only under C# or .NET)

      OR

      2. Would you prefer to smugly proclaim your technical superiority to Windows lusers, mock MS developers, and continue to wage a holy-war against a company that doesnt *develop* software so much as it *markets* software. (HINT: They could give a shit less about what you think, they're in it for the bucks, it's kind of like trying to tell a Religious Zealot you don't need to be saved) We can all be secure in the knowledge that *nix is better than Windows, Xwindows doesnt suck too bad, and all we're really doing is marginalising Sun's low-end server market. But at least we'll still be able to hack DVD's.

      Christ Almighty, I'm getting sick and fucking tired of the MS bashing. Honestly, I never, ever want to see a fucking MS box in a server room again. But if you really, truly believe that under the microscope of millions of hackers, the same number of clueless halfwits behind the wheels of Linux boxen wouldn't leave them unpatched and spread pico_LOVE_YOU, well you're even more susceptible to the herd-mind than PHBs.

      *Crazy voice trails off, lights match*
      *FOOM!*

  88. Disassembly made easier? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will this make it easier to disassemble code into any of the .net languages? How about just converting code from one language to another. Shouldn't this be possible with a well defined target like the CLR?

    1. Re:Disassembly made easier? by spt · · Score: 1

      You can get an obfuscators for the intermediate language at www.wiseowl.com

  89. Not so by SimonK · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The progress apparent in Java had mostly already been made by 1980, around the same time C++ was being created. The problems with C++ are a result of either ignorance or a deliberate decision to ignore those advances.

    1. Re:Not so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the most stupid comment ever made on C++

    2. Re:Not so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Care to comment on the main points of "The Design and Evolution of C++", by the language designer, since you know so much about it?..

    3. Re:Not so by BalkanBoy · · Score: 1

      C++ suffered mostly because of the desire to preserve its ancestor's "mentality", C, for a lack of a better description. I'm sure Bjarne could have done it differently, but then again, coding in C++ truly tests your patience as a programmer and your wit too :), so it's not bad by any means. That, and the fact that it stomps Java by a long shot when it comes to performance.

      --
      'A lie if repeated often enough, becomes the truth.' - Goebbels
    4. Re:Not so by Cryptnotic · · Score: 2
      Bjarne wanted to include everything. That's what C++ is, a language with everything. If someone invents a new language feature that can possibly be grafted onto C++ without breaking something else, it'll be there in the next version.


      Cryptnotic

      --
      My other first post is car post.
    5. Re:Not so by AndrewHowe · · Score: 2

      You wouldn't say that if you had any idea of the history of C++. You clearly haven't read the book that the parent AC recommended. Bjarne Stroustrup took exactly the opposite view to the one you have attributed to him.

    6. Re:Not so by Cryptnotic · · Score: 2
      Somehow it got out of his hands then. Already knowing the language, I have no desire to read about its development. As far as I am concerend, the design is terrible. Adding features is of course a trade-off between form and function. I personally think that C++ made poor choices for those trade-offs.

      The classic examples:

      • Template classes
      • Multiple inheritance instead of single inheritance with "interfaces" like in Java or Objective C.
      • All the different meanings of the "static" keyword. I lost count a long time ago. Some were inherited from C, but others were added by C++.
      • Having both pointers and object references.
      • Overloaded operators isn't part of the class definition, but a "friend" function.

      I'm sure you disagree with me. But there are plenty of people who don't.

      Cryptnotic

      --
      My other first post is car post.
  90. .NET is all about Web Services by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At my company, we have a Java based web publishing system that uses an EJB architecture. For performance reasons, one of our rogue programmers used the .NET Studio and Framework release candidates to reproduce our software.

    The one programmer achieved in ~90 hrs with .NET what it has taken a team of Java developers months to architect using EJB.

    The discussions I'm reading here on /. are mostly related to language and compiler comparisons, things that are not really the heart of .NET. At its core, it's very tightly managed implementation of web services, relying heavily on SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI.

    There are companies implementing similar achitectures based upon Java, so there's really nothing revolutionary in the architecture. What IS revolutionary is that, as a package, development times are greatly truncated by utilizing .NET.

    And this is the whole reason why Icaza is interested in using Mono to develop GNOME4.

  91. Score 4 Funny??? (n/t) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    n/t

  92. SPECS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it has nothing to do with standards bodies. Java has a well written spec and well defined standards compliance tests. Even the way it handles errors and bad code are well defined.

    You cannot say this about html, for which things like font tags inside table tags are still a pain simply because the standard doesn't cover what to do with them (bar saying they're illegal).

    Is there a submitted standard for javascript? I thot NS lumped it on us.

    1. Re:SPECS by DrPizza · · Score: 1

      It's called ECMAScript, ECMA specification #262. Made by TC-39 as a vendor-neutral amalgamation of JScript and JavaScript. TC-39 is the group now working on C# and the CLI.

  93. Played with final VS.NET over past two days... by bucklesl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Visual Studio - Enterprise Architect. Sounds like I need my PE.

    erm..anyhow..

    The past two days at work, I have been using that version of VS which comes with this month's MSDN subscription.

    Most of the time I have been trying to figure out what happened to their data access...It used to be quite simple to hook up some data to a grid or control, but - jeez - I still haven't figured out how to do it simply, and I have built my own data provider controls before so I figure it shouldn't be this difficult.

    As one poster mentioned, the compilation and execution of just a simple 'ello World program, with one form and button each took a couple seconds.

    I tried out the WebForms for their new ASP.NET, no doubt this stems from experience in the last ASP, but it didn't seem intuitive to me. In fact, I could probably port existing ASP to PHP in a quicker fashion... On a side note, however, I attended a conference where they claimed to be running this on Apache instead of IIS.

    I am not too impressed right now with this product... IMHO the best part about the product is the new VISIO. You can do database modeling/reverse engineering and it will generate the scripts, etc like ERWIN or Embarcadero.

    I doubt we use this product for awhile at work, if ever.

    --
    help fill in hidden movie endings @ End of the Credits
  94. .NET is by JewFish · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    .NET is the latest greatest Not Engineered Technology to come from Microsoft.

  95. Re: FreeBSD by nettdata · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Microsoft is developing a version of the .NET runtime and classes for FreeBSD. I have talked with the lead engineer of this project over e-mail, and he said that it's due to be out in late Spring. I asked him about the Windows Forms stuff, and he said it will be based on Tk (could someone explain the implications of this?). He also said that there are going to be very few UNIX-specific classes, but they hope people will develop those on their own.

    I wonder why Miscrosft is developing a FreeBSD implementation? Could it be because substantial portions of Hotmail still runs on FreeBSD? If I remember correctly, MS has yet to successfully port all of Hotmail over to Windows. That being the case, I'd hazard a guess that it's a REQUIREMENT for them to do the FreeBSD thing.

    I could be wrong, though. Anyone?

    --



    $0.02 (CDN)
  96. Re:Here's the definition, straight from the source by mjoconnor81 · · Score: 1

    .net is microsoft trying to gain control of the current java market in order to insure the continuation of their monopoly as people begin to develop more web based applications.

    microsoft's entire reason for trying to dominate the browser market was to make sure they had a market share when web based programs became more dominate.

    Now that they have a web browser market share, they see java as their uncontrolled downfall. solution: develop a replacement.

    --
    Pseudocode is code to demonstrate a concept, not designed to be run. Like certain M$ software.
  97. Re:Metathis and Metathat by Broccolist · · Score: 1
    What on earth does MS have to do with Enron, dictatorships and Clinton? "Defining a metatheory" "oppresses the people"? What's that supposed to mean? And what does changing programming standards have to do with changing the English language? Programming and natural languages can be compared in an abstract sense, but they have almost nothing in common in the ways they are used (and thus in the power they confer to their definers).

    I can sort of see what you're getting at, but I think you're taking a clever idea too far. As far as I can tell, redefining terms gives you no power whatsoever, let alone absolute power. Unless you subscribe to some extreme version of the sapir-whorf hypothesis (I don't). Please clarify your argument, because it doesn't make much sense to me right now.

  98. Re:Language neutrality - not by victim · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I was surprised how often the main article preached .NETs language neutrality. .NET is certainly not language neutral. Heck, Microsoft had to neuter their own primary development languages in order to get them into it.

    I can understand why they would restrict their framework to a single inheritance, single dispatch in order to be easily used from more languages, but they forbid both multiple inheritance and multiple dispatch in the virtual machine.

    I suspect we are seeing the "language-neutral" lie pushed so heavily right now in order to convince people to choose .NET. I mean, you can't be making the wrong decision if it supports all languages equally, right?

  99. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is unwise to rely on the proprietary systems of a company you might compete with in the future.

    Many people learned that lesson dealing with Microsoft. The rest are no longer in business. As Sun's margins on their high end hardware keep sliding down thanks to cheap commodity servers slowly moving upmarket, they're gonna start looking for other revenue streams. They're going to ask why they aren't better leveraging their Java (TM) IP.

  100. Re: FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This article from just two months says that you are correct.

    Hotmail still runs (partly) on FreeBSD.

  101. Notice the IA64 stuff? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was glad to see the article mention the difficulties of JIT-ing a program for an IA64 target machine, thanks to the perversities of the EPIC architecture. I've said it before and I'll say it again: IA64 is going to prove to be one of the worst ideas Intel or anyone else in this business has since the PCjr.

  102. What Happens When Marketing Gets Involved by d.valued · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm sure a lot of us slashdotters have queried what this dot-net thing was. Anyone with a Hotmail account was aquainted with the chintzy logo in the upper-right corner. eBay is starting to suggest a 'Passport login', which so far has been the most that em-cash has seemed to provide. I've been to trade shows, Microsoft (free hardware swag for false info? that's a steal!)and non-Microsoft pitches and antipitches, and no one has provided an answer.

    At least, a good one.

    This overview is great from a technical angle (the one me and most slashdotters usually have interest in) and decent from a more mundane perspective (the one you pose as in an em-cash or other sales-derived presentation ;)

    It's hazardous to your health as a hacker. It looks like a great way to encapsulate any data in a format which is sufficiently protected under the DMCA. (Yet another reason for that law- and the 99 senators who ayed the vote- to be burned at the stake.)

    It's also bad for anyone on a non-MS platform; two of the languages are extremely MS-centric, Visual Basic and C-hash (something that should only be done right before you smoke it).

    It's bad - all right, worse - for Java fiends. Bad enough Microsoft feels Java is the worst thing to happen to it since the Wicked Witch of the West was introduced to the business end of a water gone, now they're pulling out all the stops with the theoretically embraced and extended J-hash.

    Right now, I just wish there was a way to stop those pricks at Microsoft.. besides a HERF bomb in Redmond, WA :)

    --
    I used to be someone else. Now I'm someone better.
    Real life is underrated.
    1. Re:What Happens When Marketing Gets Involved by ClubStew · · Score: 3

      How can anyone take you seriously when you mispronounce terms and misspell so much, like "gun" (not "gone"). It's C-Sharp and J-Sharp, as in musical notation, where "#" means sharp (they black key half a step to the right of a white key, to put it simply). It was the next logical step going from C to C++ to C# (with each an increment from the previous).

    2. Re:What Happens When Marketing Gets Involved by d.valued · · Score: 2
      You threw down the gauntlet, I'm picking it up.

      One. I never used the word 'gun' in my rant. At worst, misspellings occurred because I was in the middle of a skull-rending headache which caused the room to spin and prevented me from STANDING UP.

      Two. If you can take that Microsoft man-meat out of your posterior, take a moment to review the following from The Jargon File:

      #
      Common: number sign; pound; pound sign; hash; sharp; crunch; hex; [mesh]. Rare: grid; crosshatch; octothorpe; flash; , pig-pen; tictactoe; scratchmark; thud; thump; splat.

      (Square is the ANSI name. Mesh is from INTERCAL, or 'Compiler Language With No Pronounceable Acronym'.)

      Three. C-OCTOTHORPE is NOT the 'logical progression' of C++. C was the successor of a language called B. The '++' designation is a well-known chorthand for incrementation. It was felt by the developers of C++ that it was a small progression from C. Syntax from C can be used in C++ without difficulty. Significant changes, though, like 'new' instead of 'malloc()' and easier function declaration made it a small improvement. C-THUD, though, rips off the C style of coding and has no native libraries; it is dependant on the dot-net libraries for existance, like the dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park" were dependant on lysine to stay alive. Beisdes, a half-step isn't the next possible or logical step froma note. Eastern music has quarter, eighth, and even smaller stepwise increments.

      Three. J-SPLAT looks to be another VD, err. VB. (However, the diseaes reference seems to be better. VB infects programmers to think pretty is better than functional.)

      --
      I used to be someone else. Now I'm someone better.
      Real life is underrated.
    3. Re:What Happens When Marketing Gets Involved by ClubStew · · Score: 2

      You're right, you didn't use the word "gun" in your reply; you used the word "gone" when you meant "gun".

      C-Sharp is the correct name of the language. You don't call C-Plus-Plus C-Positive-Positive, do you? Call it what it is, unless you're just a raving lunatic.

      Also, I did say that C++ was the incremental version of C and I know that C derived from B. What real geek doesn't know that? C# was claimed to have borrowed many elements from C, though Java seems more like a likely candidate. Instead of calling the language D, they went with a somewhat logical increment to C#, probably having something to do with the 88-key keyboard on a piano. Who knows with Microsoft sometimes.

      Finally, everyone is knocking .NET and they've probably never even read through the SDK docs. I've been using it for some time and have even landed a .NET developer job with high pay and stock and received a free XBox for contributing so much to a high-profile .NET development site. Sure, it seems like a knock-off of J2EE but .NET makes things easier. With the release of the JDK 1.4, I see that XML support has improved and I'm looking forward to reviewing it as I do use both. However, JVMs are still slower than the CLR and MSIL (Microsoft Intermediate Language) is a step lower than Java byte-code.

      Besides, I'm not a Microsoft junkie but I do see valid uses with both Windows and linux. I do have Linux Administration Certification and use that for my primary server. Too many linux geeks are one-track minded: linux is not the be-all, end-all solution for everything, as is Microsoft. Both (and Macs) have appropriate uses and it's time everyone starts realizing it. GNOME 2.0 and KDE 3.0 are much better than previous versions, but they still don't have the element of familiarity or the tight integration that Windows has that most users have become accustomed to or just flat-out need for their daily lives. X-Windows is still made up of too many desparate projects and doesn't have that level of integration through mechanisms such as COM (though I'm finding DCOP pretty interesting and useful in KDE).

  103. VS.NET is pretty by estoll · · Score: 0

    I have been developing an application which runs on the .NET framework for almost a year. Personally, I think it is wonderful technology and very powerful. Granted, the framework may be equally as powerful as Java; the butter is really in Visual Studio. Sure, there are several IDE's for Java; however, I'm not sure any of them are as powerful as Visual Studio. There seems to be a strong anti-.NET sentiment in the Slashdot community. Sure, most of that comes from an anti-Microsoft position, which is perfectly understandable; however, if there were an open source IDE equivalent of Visual Studio written in C#, a majority of you may change your mind. Given a powerful IDE and the Mono project, Linux would quickly become a popular platform for developing .NET applications.

    --
    http://www.askthevoid.com
  104. More like about $6 by Toodles · · Score: 2

    .NET Studio demo is on the CD of this month's MSDN magazine. Full version is also available for anyone with an MSDN subscription, which any software development company or division worth its salt already has. (yes, a real MSDN subscription is well more than $1,079, but well worth it for companies creating MS software)

    Toodles

    --
    Toodles D. Clown
  105. It is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The imminentization of the eschaton!

  106. Passport is not built on the .NET Framework by cyberformer · · Score: 1

    It's just branded as ".NET". If you want to log into a passport site, your browser must accept regular third-party cookies. If you want to use passport as your site's authentication mechanism, you must install Microsoft's own server-side software. Interestingly, they're making this available for many platforms (including Linux), because they know that most Web sites don't use MS servers. But it's different for each: it's a regular executable, no cross-platform compatibility.

  107. Arstechnica?? by CragHopper · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Is it just me or is blatantly ripping off some other company's wierd name pretty the mark of uncreative losers. And it seems even lamer now that ars digita has just gone down for the count.

  108. Official Media from MS does not equal Legit by tupps · · Score: 1

    Just because you have media from Microsoft does not make it a legitimate copy. I think you will also find that the student edition is not for the production of commericial code.

    Buying the media cheaper is exactly the same as downloading it from a warez site, you just spent more money that someone who downloaded.

    --
    Go out and get sailing!
    1. Re:Official Media from MS does not equal Legit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Learning Editions are not for the production of commercial code. The student edition has no such restriction, only that one must be a student to use it.

      But your other points stand.

    2. Re:Official Media from MS does not equal Legit by clontzman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      This is Slashdot... who's producing commercial code? ;-)

      Seriously, though, your point about legitimacy is well-taken and something was cavalier about originally. IF you're eligible, it's a great deal. If you're not, then it's illegal software.

  109. No more native software? by Slarty · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So... am I missing something, or is the whole idea of .NET to take away native software? Replace everything we currently run with a virtual machine? Yeah, write-once-run-anywhere _seems_ nice but am I the only person left on the planet who still wants software that's optimized and tuned to run on my hardware... not a generic VM?

    I dunno. This just seems crazy to me. There has got to be a better way to do cross-platform software than what basically amounts to emulation. And in this case it makes even less sense... MS is naturally targeting this mostly at Windows, which is still pretty much a single-platform deal. So where's the benefit in using slow(er) bytecode as opposed to petal-to-the-metal, optimized native code? Argh...

    --
    Hi... I'm Larry... the shivering chipmunk... brrrrr!... I'm cold... I need a sweater...
    1. Re:No more native software? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Weeelll... *drumroll*. With the change to 64-bits processors, MS would like to have the ground covered. Intel Itanium/AMD x86-64 will (probably) not be compatible. Or so I guess.

  110. The only reason by julianc · · Score: 1

    Microsoft came out with .Net is because Sun invented java and java became popular for building a variety of small and large scale platform independent systems and was particularly good at internet related services. Microsoft needed a response.

    If .Net catches on in a cross-platform way, then Microsoft will be free to cut off the air supply of any non-windows ports when it feels like by changing the way the latest Microsoft implementations work - same as its always done.

    Look at examples of Microsoft's previous half hearted attempts at making its technology cross-platform - http://www.activex.org. Sure its different this time, Microsoft is betting the farm on .Net - just like they did with Windows 98 ME,2000,XP etc etc.

    Sure there are a few nice features in .Net, but the basic ideas come from Java - anyone remember a few years back when Billg had to dampen down enthusiasm for Java within Microsoft 'cos they wanted to use it throughout their core infrastructure because it was cool - well that enthusiasm has simply transformed into the .Net platform and architecture.

    Its the same old story - technology invented elsewhere gets re-badged by Microsoft and sold as Microsoft innovation.

    To (mis)quote a popular sci-fi series -

    "It Java Jim, but not as we know it".

    J.

  111. Visual Studio.NET under Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If we have a .NET runtime for Linux, and .NET products like Visual Studio.NET target the .NET runtime, does this mean that Microsoft is writing their software for Linux after all this time?

  112. It is amazing, isn't it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The concept of p-code has been around since 1976. Now it's "invented" by MS and suddenly its gold.

    Bah.

    Now, what sane CIO would propose an environment built from a plethora of languages? Yea, like I need to staff my organization with people that each speak one and different languages.

    I'm sure a business could get the utmost in productivity by making sure each of its employee's spoke a different, and unique, language. A meeting of Spanish, English, Slovak, Chinese, and Aribic is the very picture of effectiveness. Ok, I guess "IT" is different somehow.

    Programmer's see it as an opportunity by making themselves "indespensible" by leading a "new" technology. Its a great change to overthrow the 'old guard' by looking seemingly brillant in the 'next great thing'.

    Companies see it as a evil that can't be avoided. MS has become "the language of business" and they must remain compatible, where ever MS takes them.

    Face it. .NET is golden simply because it is Microsoft. However demonstrably damaging it is, we'll like it 'cus we don't have any choice.

    Ultimately, MS will secure control over a hardware abstraction layer. They'll be able to add "super instructions" as easily as the bundled IE into Windows. Hey, didn't you know the browser is a natural extension to the CPU?

    It's sad, really. So much hype, so many cudos, so much press, for a company doing so very little as planning to cause great damage and expense to its customers... Using a simple, 25 year old, technology.

    What's even more sad, is business has been dumbed down so far as to actually belived this hair-brained scheme isn't just sane, but sound judgement.

    When they look back in history we'll see something like this...

    'C' was protable and could do everything, but programmers couldn't "get it right". So...

    We invented 'C++' to show them the way. But, it was too complicated and they kept screwing it up too. So...

    We invented 'Java' and took out all the sharp sticks so they couldn't possibly get hurt. Now all will surely be right in the world, and portable! But no, the code still sucks and still platform dependent. So...

    And so here we are. Surely buying .NET will cure the problem. Surely it will 'fix' stupid design and progammers. Surely it will be portable. Surely...

    1. Re:It is amazing, isn't it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The concept of p-code has been around since 1976. Now it's "invented" by MS and suddenly its gold.

      Yeah, it was way better when SUN was the first company ever in history to invent a JVM!

      Now, what sane CIO would propose an environment built from a plethora of languages?

      What sane CIO would propose the Java be the ONLY FUCKING LANGUAGE to exist on the entire planet, from VCRs to desktops to supercomputers, and REMAIN PROPRIETARY? Only a looney like Scott McNealy, that's who. MS's arrogance PALES in comparison to Sun's.

  113. Less Optimisation == Less CPU usage?!? by Tom+Davies · · Score: 1

    JIT compilation raises some issues. One is that it demands resources -- memory and processor particularly. To solve this, MS have two JIT compilers: a normal one, that optimizes compiled code fairly well, but can be processor and/or memory intensive; and an "EconoJIT". EconoJIT might not optimize the code as well, but it'll require less memory and processor time to run.


    I can believe that a JIT which does less optimisation will use less memory, but I don't believe it will run your code faster!

    Tom

    --
    I have discovered a wonderful .sig, but 120 characters is too small to contain it.
    1. Re:Less Optimisation == Less CPU usage?!? by CFN · · Score: 1

      I believe that the article meant what you said - the less optimized JIT will run faster, but the code it makes wont. ...less memory and processor time ... was refering to the compiler, not the code it compiled.

      For some codes the combined time of fast-compile, slow-exe might be better than slow-compile, fast-exec, which is exactly why there are multiple JITs to choose from.

  114. i don't care what .NET is by nameinuse2 · · Score: 1, Funny

    ... i'm wondering why it has to .SHOUT .AOL .STYLE

  115. The Evil Plan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "auto-raise" is a time saving, productivity enhancing feature. Of course they're going to go to great lengths to keep it from working. Computers get faster and more capable every six months; and yet what they actually DO is fairly constant.

    Mr. Gates' sole purpose in life is to keep the "personal computer revolution" from impacting him and his class. If we allow just anyone to use computers in an efficient manner, why hell; no telling how many unsuitable types with improper goals might find their lives easier.

  116. Any language you want... by pwagland · · Score: 2
    ...so long as it is CLS. I mean, I like Eiffel, but that does not mean that I will like Eifel#. Is C# closer to objective C (Man that would rock!) or C++(The truth and not my preferred choice).

    This whole "any language that you want" is vastly overrated. Especially since it is not even true....

  117. language neutral by markj02 · · Score: 2
    "You can have any language you want, as long as it is C#."

    Still, while .NET is largely a Java clone, and while it really isn't any more or less language neutral than the Java JVM, it is a big step forward for Microsoft and can only serve to improve the quality of Windows software.

  118. C# intro by CFN · · Score: 2, Informative

    There are plenty of C# intros out on the web (I especially liked the Ask Dr. GUI.NET series at MS, but they are being rewritten to reflect the release version of VS.NET), but O'Reilly recently
    posted one that gives instructions on using the compiler/debugger that you can download from MS.

    With those tools, one can begin to learn to program with C# without needing to fork over the big green for the new visual studio.

    Just thought someone might be interested.

    1. Re:C# intro by CFN · · Score: 1

      The link to download the .NET SDK, which includes the .NET framework and the compiler, debugger and other tools is here.

      Enjoy!

  119. im not sure. by r00tarded · · Score: 0

    but if winterroth uses it it must be retartedly easy, and probably drag and drop too.

    1. Re:im not sure. by spankles · · Score: 0

      i'll balance my load all over your chinny chin chin...

  120. .Net is much more sophisticated than Java by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    .Net corrected all of Java's mistakes, and added a ton of great stuff. Technology advances - get over it.

    1. Re:.Net is much more sophisticated than Java by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, we will. Just let us know when they actually deliver an advance.

  121. 30 JVM languages... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And NONE of those 30 JVM languages are commercially supported. You would be insane to trust a critical project to a JVM language other than Java.

    At least with .Net, Microsoft officially produces and endorses at least official 3 .Net languages.

  122. Re: FreeBSD by The+FooMiester · · Score: 1

    REQUIREMENT for them to do the FreeBSD thing

    FWIW: Just because they code it doesn't mean they will release it.

    --
    The previous has been a secret message to my comrades.
  123. I got it. You are going to write managed code. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    One of the things that developers criticized on JAVA was that it does not allow unmanaged code, like memory management.
    And with .NET, you can write unmanaged code.
    Guess what.
    MS will/is making sure that you will write managed code as often as possible.
    To take care of a cattle, say, 1000 heads, you need no more than 3 cowboys.
    MS are the cowboys.
    Welcome to the real world :-)
    Cattles, just cattles.

  124. NET -- now with no pissy aftertaste! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm getting pretty fed up with hearing about how wonderful and innovative .NET is and yet even pages that supposedly "clarify" things, do nothing of the sort and instead kick around a lot of buzzwords that are supposed to give you a nice, warm feeling inside. Even if .NET is God's gift to developers, MS's aggressive business practices and track record of shoddy products hardly make them worthy of support. I don't want to know anything about .NET anyway. I refuse to acknowledge .NET on principle.

    I've been accused of having my mind set in concrete on this issue. It's like saying this bartender here has pissed in the last dozen drinks he's served, but this next drink... oh, it's the best yet and this time no urine! So I'm being close-minded because I don't want this drink? No, I've learned from history and am acting on that knowledge. MS has its ardent detractors for a reason, and it has little to do with close-mindedness or the quality of .NET.

    Some of us don't even want to know what NET is. Seriously. I hope to do a lot of good while on this planet. I don't view supporting Microsoft in any way as part of that plan.

  125. paper by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    could someone pleasae post the PDF, i have no desire to become a registered paying user of Ars Technica

  126. Why MS Chose to create .NET for FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They are creating a shared-source (source is available but no free as in freedom to use as you wish) version of the .NET Development Framework on Windows and FreeBSD. It will be used for non-profit academic research.

    They chose FreeBSD as the Unix-like platform because it uses the BSD License (free-for-all) instead of Linux because Linux is GPL. Having the .NET Framework running on a Unix-like operating system will prove to the masses that its multi-platform.

    Microsoft doesn't like GPL because it "forces" you to provide any modifications to the source code.

    Once the source is provided for FreeBSD, anybody can take it and port it to their favorite Unix-like OS, such as, Linux or Solaris.

  127. Student discounts by rlowe69 · · Score: 2

    FYI: I'm paying $160 CAN$ (~$100 US) for my academic-priced Professional version copy. Maybe unfair to regular developers, but at least MS realises two things:
    1) Students are important seeds to sow.
    2) Students barely have enough money to afford the student version.

    As a result, I'll be programming in VB.NET and C#.NET this weekend.

    On a side note, what MS is really selling is the IDE, and all of the nice integration with other tools. If you want a cheaper compiler and runtime, wait a bit .... they'll be out very soon from third parties - like Borland, as was said in the VS.NET conference today.

    ... or wait for Mono. I'm very excited about porting my Windows apps to Linux ... and I'm interested in seeing if that's actually possible.

    --
    ----- rL
  128. Just the Facts mam by nickynicky9doors · · Score: 1

    I read the article and a fair number of posts. What I took from the article none of the posts I read addressed. The .NET initiative is an attempt to implement improvement in areas of platform independence, abstraction, documentation and security. simple, n'est pas?

    The monopolistic market grab is a different strategy implementing C# as a tactic. My reading of it goes something like... establish the C# standard to gardener a wide developer audience then pull them in with the tools for developing .NET. Can OS/FSF developers take the bait and not get hooked? Yes easily. But can they go toe to toe with MS in using the technology to win end users? End users don't care about OS wars or development platform niceties. End users want intuitive GUIs, stability, security, service. As long as the current desktop configuration remains the same old same old and the Standards provide a common ground from which to develop apps then OS/FSF will continue to close the gap until price alone becomes the prime criterion for the choice of end users. The question then arises will MS keep the initiative in the desktop GUI or can the OS/FSF communities look to steal the initiative?

    --

    heuristic algorithm seeks stochastic relationship
  129. A Blinkered Rant by rho · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sweet jumping savior, how the hell did we get here?

    I managed to get two pages into ArsTechnica's explaination of what .NET is, what it isn't, and why it will be used before my brain rebelled: "Great fuck, if people would simply stop schlepping shit around in proprietary binary formats, data could be imported or exported in any damn application that wanted to write the translation".

    This would be different if .NET was talking about eliminating the concept of an application (document-centric computing). Hell no, it's a bunch of pointy-head nerds and pointy-haired MBAs adding another goddamn layer of nerd-cruft to everything under creation.

    ".NET has three packets of information: the IL, the Metadata, and the fuck-this-where-can-i-find-nudie-pics"... please, for the love of Mike (God wouldn't have anything to do with this, it's purely From the Other Side), let's not stop everything and reinvent the wheel. We had the chance to carefully think things through and do it right, back in 1990. We missed the opportunity, we're now stuck with what we've got. Hasn't anybody learned anything from Be? You can't go home again.

    If .NET makes any fucking difference before it gets replaced with the Next Big Thing, I'll eat my damned crusty underwear. So far, I could grep for .NET and replace it with "Java", and timewarp my pasty white ass to 1997 when it was going to Save Us from platform-specific languages and Microsoft at the same time. I cut my balls off and drank the poison koolaid, but the fucking UFO hasn't poked it's nose out from behind Hale-Bopp yet, the shy fucking bastard.

    Spare me the fucking story. You wanna know what the next great savior is gonna be? Sumbitch, he's already here, and Tim-Berners Lee is his prophet. It's the Church of the Holy Hypertext, and it's vessel is Mozilla. The Web lit up the world because it's simple, it's easy to learn, and it's powerful... and, sin of all sins, it's accessible. Nerds and secretaries are building web pages, because it's easy to do. You think Sally Secretary is gonna benefit from .NET's programming language independance? It's wonky new IDE?

    Pfft. Thicker and thicker layers of cruft will not make programming less hard. Thicker and thicker layers of cruft will not change the way we access information. Thicker and thicker layers of cruft will only slow down the spread of knowledge, because everybody's chasing down the next security bug in .fuckingNET instead of sharing what they know.

    --
    Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
    1. Re:A Blinkered Rant by Bongo · · Score: 1

      If .NET makes any fucking difference before it gets replaced with the Next Big Thing, I'll eat my damned crusty underwear.

      I read that ars article, in it's fine detail, expecting to get to a "summary" or "in the grand scheme of things..." conclusion. But there wasn't one.

      Thanks for the great summary!

  130. Re: FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To justify their anti-GPL arguments.

  131. Re: FreeBSD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It has nothing to do with Hotmail.
    Not a single damn thing.
    They're using BSD for front-end distribution of mail. What, pray tell, does that have to do with .NET? Jack shit.

  132. Re:Ok. Rant mode. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No, the service being discussed is the .NET framework. Not .NET.

    But you are correct by stating that Passport is a part of .NET.

  133. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Tom7 · · Score: 2

    Well, java is around, but it doesn't have all the advantages of .NET. Mostly, it is missing the biggest OS vendor pushing its OS and development tools to the platform. Nobody else can do this but MSFT.

    Also, Java is in a few ways not as good as the CLR. For instance, I can't efficiently target the JVM with other high level languages that I care about, like SML.

  134. Why doesn't Sun adapt? by joshv · · Score: 2

    Why can't Sun see the writing on the wall and adapt, coopting some of the innovations Microsoft has surprised us with.

    Take the JVM specification and broaden it. Add features that would more fully support the retargetting of other languages to the JVM. Provide better native libraries for GUI interfaces so we can produce GUI apps that don't require GHz machines to run well. And for christ sake, be prepared to sacrifice some of your freakin object oriented purity for performance every once in awhile.

    The CLR is really just a more pragmatic JVM. It suggests best practices, and highly encourages them, but allows for backward compatibility and 'unsafe' operations if you think you know what you are doing, or have no other choice. It has more flexibility that the JVM and the java spec allow. This was always the crux of the disagreement MS and Sun had re: Java. MS wanted to allow the developers to chose, Sun thought they knew best.

    -josh

  135. Obviously Uninformed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    And where are you getting this data?

    I, in fact, also work at M$. Certainly, there are some people who are Ra-Ra, Microsoft Rules in all ways, etc. Perhaps more than another company, perhaps not (certainly I imagine many of the folks over at RedHat or at Sun proclaiming the absolute dominance of their products as well.)

    However, a whole lot of folks at the company, I would claim to the majority (of devs anyway), are a little more agnostic as to these issues. Many of use for our own devices whatever technology makes the most sense (I use some Linux and some WinXP, some web sites I've written in PHP/MySql, some ASP.NET/SQL Server, depending on which technically made the most sense for the given purpose). Many of run Linux at home for some boxes, WinXip in others. Of course, at work for work projects you usually use the M$ solution (imagine telling people at RedHat that they had to use Outlook/Exchange in place of Linux servers- I'm not arguing that this would be a better solution, I'm just saying it would be out of the question).

    Feel free to disagree with the company. I disagree with a big part of the way that the company does business. We talk, at work, about how certain MS business practices and technologies suck. I work there because I think some of the technology they do there is pretty cool. But certainly don't make generalizations about the employees, for which you obviously have little experience.

    <rant>
    There are so few people left who legimitately and objectively assess technology. The bias is ridiculous, reminiscent of the old Mac/PC flame wars. When you stretch that political bias from companies to generalizations about individuals (making them the "Other", a little psychological trick that allows us to feel ok about judging people), you've truly crossed the line.
    </rant>

    1. Re:Obviously Uninformed by Raffaello · · Score: 1

      And you, as a Microsoft employee, feel so free to express your own opinion, that you're posting here as an AC.

  136. At the conference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey all, I'm actually at the Visual Studio conference where they are doing the official release of .NET. It's strange being the only person at the conference who has used vi. What they are saying, in a nutshell is that if you are a developer on the Windows platform, .NET is the best thing since sliced bread. The .NET framework does most of the coding for you. I'll have to admit, watching the demos was impressive, but the proof will be using it in a real world application. It's only day one, we'll see what they bring out tomorrow.

  137. Can't bring yourself to admit it? by GCP · · Score: 2

    It's amazing to hear the lengths to which some Slashdotters will go.

    Start with the mandatory MS bash, "Java ripoff", for example. Then start daydreaming about how nice it would be if the non-MS technology could someday become as good as the MS version.

    What nonsense. If it's from Microsoft it's a ripoff of its predecessors. Otherwise, it's an advancement beyond its predecessors. Sure, that's "simple", in more ways than one.

    --
    "Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."
    1. Re:Can't bring yourself to admit it? by rbeattie · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, I disagree.

      Microsoft ripped off Sun the same way it ripped off Apple (who ripped off Xerox) when designing Windows. Yeah, you can say they helped develop the first apps for Mac, etc. etc. but the main idea was still Apple's who pushed the GUI concept and standardized the idea and then Microsoft came along six years later and launched Windows 3.0 based on those concepts developed at Apple.

      Now Microsoft is doing the same with .Net. Back in 1996 when Sun was promoting net development and JITs and the whole concept of a better programming language, Microsoft was still knee-deep in C++ and COM (or was it OLE then?). Six years later, Microsoft looks at the progress Sun has made, copies the most successful parts and bastardizes the rest (again).

      Yes they added some good ideas - just like they did with Windows vs. Mac - but they still ripped off the general concepts and tech gains that were made from Java.

      Sorry, a ripoff's a ripoff.

      -Russ

      --
      Me
    2. Re:Can't bring yourself to admit it? by Raffaello · · Score: 1

      "Apple (who ripped off Xerox)"

      [sigh] Apple paid Xerox a licensing fee to use those aspects of the Alto which became part of the Mac WIMP GUI. When you pay someone for something is is not a "ripoff," but rather, a purchase.

    3. Re:Can't bring yourself to admit it? by rbeattie · · Score: 2


      Don't *sigh* it's annoying in real life and really fucking annoying on Slashdot.

      Quote from Steve Jobs: "Good artists copy. Great artists steal." And you know as well as I do that Jobs considers himself a great artist.

      Saying that Apple didn't rip off Xerox is amazing Apple revisionist history. Didn't you see the interviews in "Triumph of the Nerds?" with the original Xerox guys? Jobs walked in, got a demo of the best stuff and walked out with all the most important concepts and the programmers were pissed. Whether Apple paid Xerox or not later it doesn't matter - Xerox didn't get nearly as much money as they should have for Apple's success. If Apple was still paying 10% of it's profits to Xerox, maybe, but if not they got ripped off.

      And Microsoft licensed Java technology. Does that mean that they too didn't rip off Sun? Nope.

      Stop being a freakin' language lawer. And stop SIGHING.

      -Russ

      --
      Me
  138. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  139. Re: FreeBSD by Bodrius · · Score: 2

    Either someone is really pressing on them releasing a multi-platform .Net, or it's a Darwin thing. Or both.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see them selling the full .Net tools for Macs. It is part of their market, after all.

    --
    Freedom is the freedom to say 2+2=4, everything else follows...
  140. Re:Why MS Chose to create .NET for FreeBSD by Trepalium · · Score: 1
    Once the source is provided for FreeBSD, anybody can take it and port it to their favorite Unix-like OS, such as, Linux or Solaris.
    Not if it's "shared source". MS's "Shared Source" licenses are a look-but-don't-touch style license. You can't do anything with it, and you may not even be allowed to compile it. Of course, Microsoft could still shock people and release it under the BSD/X11 license. I doubt it'll happen, though.
    --
    I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.
  141. Have you been taking your medication? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Any more spittle and I'd swear I was at the Beer Hall Putsch

    1. Re:Have you been taking your medication? by rho · · Score: 1

      Godwin's Law, you putz. Go finger yourself.

      --
      Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
  142. You remind me of Mulder by version5 · · Score: 1

    "I want to believe!"

    You admit that you have been fucked over by Microsoft, yet you are "grateful" that you can continue to get fucked over. OK...

    Further down thread:
    [Java] is missing the biggest OS vendor pushing its OS and development tools to the platform
    Why is it important to go with the biggest OS vendor? The right tool/platform for the job, that's what I say. Personally, I'm very skeptical about .NET. It hasn't been proven yet, and there will always be those programmers who will swallow anything Microsoft puts out, with dubious cries of "Oh well, they're the biggest." What ever happened to judging things on their technical merits?

    --

    "It's Dot Com!"

    1. Re:You remind me of Mulder by Tom7 · · Score: 2

      I am judging it by its technical merits, actually, and it is better than the JVM. For me, that is because it is designed to host more than just Java. (Believe it or not, I don't think that Java or C# are as good as languages get...)

      Microsoft has never really fucked me in particular, though I do believe they're a pretty devious company. But I have to be fair, it's good when they roll out a technology that really should be there.

      What if MSFT or Cisco had a strong push to roll out IPV6? I'm sure there are other vendors trying, but none can actually do it in such a broad manner. What if Ford or Honda decided to stop selling gas-powered cars and make only electric or propane? What if GE started selling only white-led lights? I'm happy when any company uses its market position to push something good, even if they are a shitty company otherwise.

    2. Re:You remind me of Mulder by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      My understanding is that .NYET based languages all have the same capabilities as C#. Anything they can do better is implemented poorly or not at all. And the JVM can support non-Java languages too (JPython). I agree that we can't afford to ignore .NYET since its being pushed by the 800 pound gorilla, but it's not better than Java.

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
    3. Re:You remind me of Mulder by Tom7 · · Score: 2


      > My understanding is that .NYET based languages all
      > have the same capabilities as C#.

      Well, your understanding is wrong. SML (available as SML.NET), for instance, is a much more powerful and interesting language, and it is compilable to .NET precisely because of extensions made to the platform for implementing alternative languages. (I am thinking in particular of the tail-call instruction.)

      It's true that other object-oriented languages can be compiled to the JVM, but the JVM was not designed to be language-neutral. .NET wins in this respect.

  143. What is Better than .NET ? - SunONE by Rudy-Omega · · Score: 0

    Building Upon the Service Driven Network

    Sun has been talking for several years about the Service Driven Network vision. That vision is based on a responsive digital network that gives customers "'dial tone' reliability while delivering new services that reside on the network." In essence, it's bringing companies to the best quality of service they can expect from a network, at a cost that is still practical for running a business.
    The Services on Demand Vision

    The network is all about servicing your communities, stockholders, customers, and employees. Increasingly, these services are delivered to communities via software functionality that has migrated to the network. That software may be in distributed form, saved in pieces in directories on the network, or called upon to perform specific functions. It may involve Web applications, but may also embrace different innovations in things like Web services or other component software models.

    Sun includes all those software methods in its Services on Demand vision. Services on Demand is the point where information assets are fully leveraged for business benefit in the form of services -- using any technological way that's cost-effective and suitable for a company, be it Web applications provided as services, or components of applications stored in central directories assembled in real-time to provide services. It's all about the ability to use all these software approaches, according to the phase a company is in, and the timing that's right for that business.
    Evolution, Not Revolution

    In fact, in Sun's view of Services on Demand, software technologies don't disappear, they evolve to include legacy as well as new technologies. These technologies build off of each other and intermingle, so that customers don't have to start from scratch. It's Sun's view that software evolution, not revolution, is the best approach for maintaining ROI and building effective business practices.
    The Pay Off

    The Services on Demand vision provides obvious technological benefits to customers, due to its open and evolutionary approach. Additionally, and most importantly, it ties directly to a company's bottom line business goals.

    The Sun ONE platform offers these business advantages:

    * Line of Sight: A unified view of community, transactions, infrastructure
    * Management by Measurement: Clear, consistent tracking of IT progress and issues
    * Efficiency: Re-use of components, applications, and services for intranet and extranet
    * Business Accessibility: Anytime, anywhere, anyone, any device services for your communities.

    Software Is Still Evolving

    At Sun, we see software evolving across our customer base in a few phases. Different customers, depending on their industry, their leadership, and other factors, are in different phases when it comes to leveraging software to tap their information assets.
    Local Software Applications

    Every phase starts in some shape or form with local software applications. Traditionally, local software applications operated in a closed environment -- it was locally managed and administered, perhaps running on huge mainframe machines, and required expensive personnel to maintain and access it. It was monolithic, in a one-size-fits-all format, and it was installed and then customized.

    There are companies that are still in this phase of software use. They are buying applications written for specific functions, installing that software, and integrating it with all the other software in their current environment. This was appropriate for the well-known, closed environments, which used to be quite prevalent. But these application designs can only stretch so far. And when it comes to opening up software to other companies, other computers, and other networks of computers, monolithic apps can add a lot in integration costs and maintenance. Especially when it comes to leveraging markets across the Internet.
    Web Applications

    So business reasons drove companies to open up these applications to the Web. No matter how complex things got, and how hard it was -- it was necessary in order to stay competitive. Inventory systems became online procurement, and brochureware turned into Web pages. More software was integrated to make it appropriate for online use and available to millions of new users with many different systems.

    We see this as the boom in Web applications. It became quite evolved, with some companies setting up shop to do nothing but provide applications over the Web as Service Providers. We find most of our customers in some aspect of this phase because this is where costs can be cut and market opportunities can be turned into revenue. By looking at your information assets and thinking creatively about how to use them, you can be rewarded with new customers, more loyal customers, and many other benefits.
    Web Services

    But we don't see our customers stopping at the Web application phase, although we think that is the number one spot to wring out savings right now and for the next few years. What we think of as the next phase is the time when services finally come to life. Now that our vision for the Service Driven Network is being realized, we're looking out at the next five years and where we see customers needing to go, for business reasons, is to a mix of many types of software methods that are harnessed together to perform services. This is our Services on Demand vision.

    1. Re:What is Better than .NET ? - SunONE by steve_l · · Score: 1

      This is marketing b.s.

      java+apache is the java alternative to .NET, SunOne is just another attempt by sun to stuff the other java players (like IBM), and as usual it is late.

  144. dotNet is not standard by Ogerman · · Score: 2

    .Net is not a standard, and it will never be a standard unless Microsoft gives up all control and turns it over to an industry consortium in which they are only one of many voices at the table. Does anybody really in their right mind see this happening?! Not a chance. So .Net will not be an industry standard. It will be a Microsoft proprietary wannabe-standard. When I say proprietary, I don't necessarily mean it will be un-documented. I mean that the only 'useful' and popular implementation will be available from M$ and it will NOT be free nor open software. All other implementations will fall short in the same way that OpenOffice is unable to emulate all the quirks in the Office file formats. That or certain features will be patented in the US or will require Microsoft's online services such as Hailstorm or .ASP or whatever to function.

    So step back and ask, from a pure technical perspective, does it really accomplish anything with it's supposed CLI 'language/platform neutrality' that we can't already do today with Java--a well tested, well documented solution? Or here's another thought: do we really need platform independence in an Open Source world where software can be quickly ported and recompiled? Users are not going to pay for a .Net word processor when there's a better/faster/free one written in C/C++. No, I say we let the FUD in the popular media fly when it comes to .Net. Because when you really get down to it, it really is just another scheme to stranglehold the software industry.

    So there you have my opinion. Mod away! (-;

    1. Re:dotNet is not standard by earache · · Score: 1

      .net is built on open standards ... the CLI is ECMA moderated, the language specs are all standardized, etc.

      The only thing that isn't are pieces specific to windows such as the windows forms framework and related. If you read the article, the author hit a very important point when he said Microsoft's implementation isn't open, but it's based on open standards.

      As for your second question, yes there are lots of things that it can do with far more speed (in terms of development cycle) then Java. If I'm writing a desktop app in Borland Delphi and want to use some .net framework classes ... it's easy as pie to do this and vice-versa. The only way to do this in java is through JNI and that's such a crappy way to go it's worthless unless you're stuck using legacy code in a java app.

      In terms of writing web services and web sites with asp.net - which is what I do mostly - I can tell you the framework classes open the doors wide on all kinds of stuff that previously was far more difficult to do. Writing a web service is a five minute excercise and deployment is instantaneous ... no dinking around with a million XML files like with J2EE.

      It's got it's problems, but if you look at it from a pure techincal perspective, I can't see how people, windows developers specifically, aren't going to flock to this.

  145. The problem I see with this article is... by Alex+Belits · · Score: 2

    ...not that it's inaccurate technically when it describes the particular technology, but that it tries to claim that what it describes is really ".NET". In fact ".NET" is whatever Microsoft calls ".NET", and at this point in includes CLR, framework, and existing implementation that is infested with Microsoft "technologies" tie-ins (COM, VB, C#) at the extent that, among the other properties, the whole thing absolutely certainly is unportable.

    Another problem is, ".NET", and in fact, .NET framework, is being compared to Java, as if Java is the only thing that opposes it. My opinion is that Java sucks in its own right, and the only alternative that I accept is the lack of "framework" until the time when people will learn how to use existing tools, and develop models that actually produce a framework that benefits developer, and not just locks him into something that framework's authors think, will benefit them, or pamper their idiosyncrasies. My opinion on "frameworks" that exist today is here, and it fully applies to this article. There are millions of possible ways to build a very complex sand castle in software -- Java, COM, SOAP, .NET are only few of them, and without any doubt people will invent more. The problem is, no one needs sand castles, people need something they can live in, and kids on the beach need to grow up before they will be able to build houses. And some mentally deficient and whiny kids, such as Microsoft, are better kept away not only from building houses but sand castles as well.

    --
    Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
  146. Questions by pdoubleya · · Score: 1

    1) Will .Net appeal more to gearheads who want n degrees of flexibility with their development systems? One of the *strengths* of Java (and C it's been said) is that the language is very simple and very restricted.

    Does .Net need to be as complex as it is, or does Microsoft make it more complex (with proprietary architecture and design) to make achieve greater buy-in with developers. It's potentially very lucrative to become a .Net programmer in the next few years. But when you've done so, you'll be a specialist in just a huge bunch of Microsoft technologies. You'll never want to leave, like an Oracle administrator who never goes on to do anything else.

    Or, do they make it that complex so that gearheads who like complexity will be attracted to it?

    2) If the CLR can host many languages, will its restrictions affect how those languages can be used? Will they become just variations on a common theme? And will that be worse, in the long run, for the proliferation of languages with their own specialties, their own dialects, their own culture?

    3) I don't know any Java programmers in the corporate world who will even look at this. I do suspect that a number of VB/(Visual) C++ programmers will love it, because they've been contrained in the last few years on web development using their current MS toolset. So, across the corporate/enterprise arena, we'll see more competition for large web development projects, possibly away from the J2EE fad we saw in the last few years. But maybe that will push more of the common development/architecture technologies for those applications become standardized and commoditized. And that could be good, given how expensive tools and components for the J2EE world are (and how those are a fraction of earlier enterprise technology costs).

    P *ya*ya

    --
    "I honestly would vote libertarian if their candidates weren't usually total cooks."--slashdot poster
  147. Response to petstore comparison here by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    Here is one response I was able to find outlining the problems with MS's comparison...

    The biggest problem is that they didn't re-run the comparison on the same hardware - MS measured .NET performance on a set of intel boxes (not sure of the specs) where the Oracle numbers came from a set of Sun boxes (also don't know those specs).

    The other major problem is one I was able to guess right away when a recent MS rep came to talk at our company and told us about the comparison. Basically, the PetStore demo is an educational tool to help teach you how to deploy J2EE code and use various technologies - in no way is it built for speed. Meanwhile MS decided to move all access to data into stored procedures and even skip implementing some of the PetStore features not built around reading data quickly, like administration features (see article).

    On top of that, when I asked the rep if the LOC count including the JSP pages, he said yes -so they were including HTML in LOC, which I'm not sure is true of the .NET LOC count.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  148. Trying real hard to hide java similarities? by spideyct · · Score: 1

    Microsoft is trying REAL hard not to make it seem like they are re-inventing Java

    Please provide material to back up that statement. Any links to MS Press Releases, product copy, or training materials?

    I keep reading all of these supposedly derogatory remarks that C# or the .NET Framework is Java knockoff. I have never heard or seen it printed that Microsoft denies the similarities. I've gone to a few MS sponsored events where the presenters (MS employees) reference the Java similarities, and mention that there is even a Java .Net compiler (J#).

    Programmers built the .NET Framework. Not some evil empire borg. Real programmers like you and me. Smart guys. They obviously saw a lot of good in Java, and wanted to pursue development in that direction, so they offer a competing product with their own personal touch.

    Isn't imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? AMD does the same thing with x86 processors, no?

    1. Re:Trying real hard to hide java similarities? by ColonBlow · · Score: 1
      Programmers built the .NET Framework. Not some evil empire borg. Real programmers like you and me. Smart guys. They obviously saw a lot of good in Java, and wanted to pursue development in that direction, so they offer a competing product with their own personal touch.

      I take exception to this. Programmers designed and built .Net to the specifications that Microsoft (read: evil empire borg) determined. They saw an area that could be expanded into, took the best of what was currently there, twisted it into a Microsoft-serving version of itself, and began the proliferation of this through the leveraging of it's other business monopolies. How does this differ from so many other areas?
      I feel my real problem is with your using of the word 'competing product'. Seems a misnomer.
      --
      free online diet tracking.
  149. What people are missing on C# by tenchiken · · Score: 2

    I have already read at least five different people claim that C# is nothing but a java language rip off.

    Fine, do this in C#:

    public delegate float mathmatical_operation(float anum);

    public event mathmatical_operation onFinish;

    void domath()
    {
    float result;
    if (onFinish!=null) result = onFinish(anumber);
    return result;
    }

    BTW, that there works transparently over the internet as well. (This is really a series of callbacks and is symantically easy enough to make even the hell that is Windows messaging easy to deal with.

  150. Re:KDE Myths by LoseNotLooseGuy · · Score: 2, Informative

    KDE Myth: Gnome is loosing, its dead, just use KDE.

    What, exactly, would Gnome be "letting loose or releasing?" I'm afraid this statement makes no sense. Perhaps you meant to dispel the myth that Gnome is failing to win (whatever that means). If so, the word you were looking for was losing.

    If you're going to go to all the trouble of throwing out flamebait, at least check your spelling/grammar. You have been participant #34 in my campaign to rid Slashdot of this error.

    --
    Proudly correcting Slashdot's most irritating linguistic error since 2002.
  151. Sure this is from Microsoft? by metatemporal · · Score: 1

    notably including garbage collection.
    Since when has Microsoft done proper garbage collection?

    Checking and enforcing security restrictions on the running code.
    Microsoft + Security?

    Loading and executing programs, with version control and other such features.
    I keep getting visions of using four .NET programs, using 1.1, 1.2., 1.3, and 1.4 of the same library... where the only difference is some function that none of the apps use anyway... So... Microsoft is making a secure, clean, program with version control. Is that possible?

    --
    "It is said that a million moneys banging away at a million keyboards for a million years would eventually reproduce the
    1. Re:Sure this is from Microsoft? by AndrewHowe · · Score: 2

      MSDN Magazine had some interesting articles on the .NET garbage collection system, here and here.

    2. Re:Sure this is from Microsoft? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, please shut up!

      Why do some people feel compelled to offer their mightily profound (so they think) opinions only to show their compelete and utter ignorance of the subject being discussed.

      Go read about .NET for a while then post something meaningfull.

  152. Re:Limited Languages by monkey+typewriter · · Score: 1

    ...Of course the article is quite explicit about shared/compatible language typing.

    What I find interesting is the support for Haskell (a functional language), which is nothing like C#.

    --
    Ahh, my favourite rhetorical recipe, the tautological soffle.
  153. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Malcontent · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    So let me get this straight. .NET is better then Java because MS makes it.

    In fact MS products are better then anything else because MS makes them. If anybody else makes any other product it will automatically be inferior because "biggest OS vendor" is not pushing them.

    I always thought VB programmers were idiots now I know.

    --

    War is necrophilia.

  154. JVM is not language neutral. by dannannan · · Score: 1

    If this poster had read the original article more closely, he would have noticed a link to this page, which is the work of someone who actually took the time to closely analyze everything on the list at the site that the poster provided a link to.

    A closer inspection of this list at tu-berlin.de reveals that the vast majority of the items listed are not actually claiming to be compilers that produce Java byte-code. They are merely tools or compilers or interpreters written in Java. Of the few which claim to produce Java byte-code, even fewer are actually available for use (some were abandoned before completion) or have any additional information available about them.

    A handful of items in the list translate source code from language subsets into Java source code first, which you can then run JAVAC on to build actual byte-code. (For example, Canterbury claims to have such a thing for Pascal, Oberon-2, and Modula-2. There is also one for translating C code to Java code, and Fortran code to Java code. Perhaps the most promising and truly byte-code producing tools on the entire page are the assemblers at the bottom.

    It is worth pointing out that this still doesn't make the JVM a language-neutral platform. (Again, see the discussion at http://www.objectwatch.com/issue_33.htm.) While there are ways of producing Java byte-code from other languages, you've still got to write all of your code in whatever single language you choose. For example, there's no good way on the JVM to implement a class in Modula-2 code and derive from it in Pascal code, or throw an exception in C code and catch it in Fortran code. i.e. You've still got to have language affinity on the JVM. Not so on the CLR.

    D

  155. MOD blinkered rant up please by StrawberryFrog · · Score: 2
    Flamebait? maybe. But the title "Blinkered rant" takes a lot of the sting out of that. Real flamebait tries to catch you unawares.

    Moderators, please mod the parent up. Sure it's an extreme opinion. This too is good if it is acknoledged as such. Seldom have I seen a post that manages to be so funny, insightfull, full of bile and honest all at the same time.

    --

    My Karma: ran over your Dogma
    StrawberryFrog

  156. JavaScript standard? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is no standard of JavaScript outside what a few companies independantly consider the standard. The standardization procedures for JavaScript was started with ECMA by Microsoft at the same time as C# was submitted, and the project group is currently being led by Clayton Lewis of Netscape. The resultant language is ECMAScript, a hybrid between JavaScript and javascript. This project has not yet completed.

  157. Directx by modipodio · · Score: 1

    "NET is a "software platform". It's a language-neutral environment for writing programs that can easily and securely interoperate. Rather than targetting a particular hardware/OS combination, programs will instead target ".NET", and will run wherever .NET is implemented."

    So will programs incorperating directx which are written for .net run on all os's where .net is
    implimented or will they just run on microsoft os's ?

    --
    __________________________________________________ "UNIX is a fascist state, Windows is a democracy.
  158. I am unbiased by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unbiased? And your nick is "dieMSdie"? Kettle, meet pot.

  159. Paradigm neutrality by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Everyone talks about .NET's supposed language neutrality, but based on what I've read so far, it's only language neutral if your language is c# or close to it.

    Sad, but true. C# and VB.NET are so close to isomorphic that choosing between them is mostly a matter of whether you prefer symbolic or "natural language" syntax. Notice the number of long-standing VB developers who are trying to work out the relationship between the tool they've been using until version 6, and the new .NET version.

    In fact, from the article itself:

    The ability to use any language that can target IL is a fundamental feature of .NET. This is achieved through the Common Type System (CTS). The CTS defines how classes (or "types", in .NETese) are defined.

    I think the key thing is that .NET really only supports one paradigm properly: single-inheritance OO. C# fits that description, VB.NET has been moulded to match it, managed C++ is forced into it. You get the idea. I know it's theoretically possible to use other programming paradigms from this foundation, but surely the question is how well they are supported and how efficiently they can be done, not what could be done with infinite time and resources available. (Insert obligatory reference to the thread about functional languages on .NET the other day here.)

    Consider an obvious example: if .NET is reasonably language-neutral, where is the support for generics? C++ has had templates for years, and they are one of its most powerful features. Java has a proposal that doesn't go as far as C++ templates, but does add parameterised type support to a fair degree. (Anyone know if that made it into 1.4 in the end, BTW?) In ML, functions are implicitly generic unless you specify otherwise. If .NET doesn't support such a fundamental feature, then it's immediately dropped an important aspect for all these languages.

    Of course, how important the omissions are depends on your programming style. If you don't use generics, then this particular example is no loss to you. But it should be noted that the current trends in programming-language research are considerably ahead of single-inheritance "pure" OO designs. If .NET can't cope with multiple paradigms and newly developed idioms, it's not going to be leading edge for very long. The power of generic programming, functional programming and other completely separate idioms is being exploited in research already, and has been for some time. I don't think it will be long before they start hitting the maintsream, and then the limitations of .NET's architecture may be its undoing.

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
  160. Like **** it does by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 2
    J# compiles all Visual J++ directly to .NET with no issue, as does Microsoft C++ using the /CLR arguement.

    Well, except for templates, multiple inheritance, free functions, most of the standard library (which is templatized), and various other less significant but still important limitations.

    --
    If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
  161. Using crypto to protect the APIs by Mark+Wilkinson · · Score: 1

    One thing I'd not picked up until now is the use of public-key crypto to protect the APIs of software components (assemblies as they've called them). If I read it correctly, a piece of software will only link to components whose public keys it carries, so rather than just verifying interface compatability the CLR will verify that you're actually linking to the piece of code you developed against. This is probably considered a good thing.

    This presumably also prevents people from writing compatible reimplementations of an assembly without a client program's co-operation. That's quite a major shift from previous systems (for example, you can replace and Java class by just overwriting the class file with a compatible replacement, and I believe the same's true with COM). Pretty useful if you want to prevent people from competing with you by producing compatible products.

    So, let's say that Microsoft rewrite Word using .NET and release it. Does that mean that in order for Mono to run Word they'd need to re-implement all the .NET framework APIs and disable the cryptographic check to fool the code into working?

    -Mark.

  162. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Tom7 · · Score: 2

    No...

    .NET will actually be widespread because MS makes it. That is a point in its favor. Java is fine, but it doesn't have the level of acceptance that it'd need before I would use it as my platform for a big project. (One other reason I like .NET more than the JVM is that I don't actually have to program in Java or C#, which I think are pretty mediocre languages.)

    I think it's pretty sloppy to characterize me as a MS-lover and VB programmer because I think one of their technologies is good. In fact, the only MS product I prefer over the competitors' is Windows XP.. I think I prefer Apache over IIS, LaTeX over Word, gcc over VC++, etc. (And I haven't programmed in QB for 10 years...)

  163. It's pretty scaring... by david_e_v · · Score: 1

    ... that, after that many tries to explain what .NET is about, it doesn't seem clear to almost anyone.
    Might be that, in the end, what they really want is the crowds to shout what THEY want from .NET, so that they offer it... pretty clever roadmap!

    (Just kidding, guys)

  164. C# - Skinnable languages by d-rock · · Score: 1
    The best description of .Net's "Cross-Language" functionality came from the One Runtime to Rule them all:
    Playing with the .NET SDK, the cross-language support looks impressive, but the illusion holds true only until realizing that all languages in the mix are virtually identical. Microsoft has actually invented the concept of skinnable language : changing a language[base ']s most superficial aspects, and claiming the result to be a new language. There is only One True Language that is C#, and "skins" offered by Microsoft and third parties. Just like in GUIs, these skins will alter the system[base ']s look and feel, add a few features, but never compete with a fully new toolkit.
    Derek
    --
    Don't Panic...
  165. I disagree by AdamBa · · Score: 2
    IM-ever-so-HO, this article is focussed on the compiler and runtime and misses the point. It would be like talking about Win32 in terms of the format of DLLs and how the compiler links against export libraries. The "web services" (or whatever you call them -- API calls over the net) are the reason for .NET. The sentence in DrPizza's article:

    ".NET is also the collective name given to various bits of software built upon the .NET platform. These will be both products (Visual Studio.NET and Windows.NET Server, for instance) and services (like Passport, HailStorm, and so on)."

    is misleading. Visual Studio and Server are not built on .NET, one is a dev environment and one is an operating system. Hailstorm is a ".NET application" and that type of application is the reason for .NET.

    I could be wrong of course. Maybe .NET will turn out to be just a new runtime model...which seems a big waste of an opportunity. The only real advance I can see is that it gives Microsoft a chance to redo all their libraries so they do security checks...which is very topical, but doesn't seem worthy of all the hype about .NET

    - adam

  166. How things come around.... by nexusone · · Score: 1

    Maybe I am missing something....
    Was not "C" designed to be platform indepent!!!!!

    Talk about inventing the wheel!!!!!

    --
    Wise men speak because they have something to say, Fools because they have to say something!!!!
  167. You are confused by SimonK · · Score: 2

    Or at least confusing. A JIT compiler is simply a technique for implementing a VM. Technically, a VM is a defined bytecode and data model, *not* a piece of software. To say that VMs always interpret is a terrible misrepresentation. Several languages - those that invented "JIT" technology, such as Smalltalk and Lisp - have referred to systems involving bytecode to machine language conversion as VMs since the very beginning. I don't see any reason to change that terminology now. Several MS representatives have referred to the CLR as a VM. Now stop confusing the issue.

    You're wrong on the other point too. The CLR specifically supports the type system described by the CTS. IL's instructions operate specifically on those types. You can, of course, implement any set of language semantics you like, but it won't necessarily be either efficient or worthwhile. Why else do you think Meyer has cut Multiple Inheritance and covariance entirely out of Eiffel# ? The same goes for C++: only "managed C++" (C# that looks like C++) actually compiles to the CLR as a target, and guess what ? Managed C++ does not support multiple inheritance.

    You really should learn what you're talking about before "explaining" it.

    1. Re:You are confused by DrPizza · · Score: 1
      Several MS representatives have referred to the CLR as a VM

      And several have said it isn't.

      You're wrong on the other point too. The CLR specifically supports the type system described by the CTS. IL's instructions operate specifically on those types. You can, of course, implement any set of language semantics you like, but it won't necessarily be either efficient or worthwhile. Why else do you think Meyer has cut Multiple Inheritance and covariance entirely out of Eiffel# ? The same goes for C++: only "managed C++" (C# that looks like C++) actually compiles to the CLR as a target, and guess what ? Managed C++ does not support multiple inheritance.

      This is incorrect -- I invite you to actually try it out.

      You can write unmanaged, unsafe code that targets the CLR. Take a look at this, if you don't believe it. A whole load of IL -- unmanaged, unsafe -- that targets the CLR.

      The CLR supports a lot more than just the CTS. There is no reason for Eiffel# to restrict itself to the constraints of the CTS.

  168. Really ? by SimonK · · Score: 2

    And I thought it was a simple statement of fact. Technology X existed at time Y. Language Z was invented at time Y+1. Language Z did not include technology X. Ergo, either the inventors of Z were ignorant of X, or chose not to use it. Its not exactly difficult. Take a day off and work it through for yourself.

  169. Score 5: Paranoid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Too bad there's no "Score 5: Paranoid" moderation available...

  170. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Malcontent · · Score: 2

    What are you going to program in .NET? VB.NET? Eiffel#? I think that's all that's available now. Give me a break. You are fucking idiot if you choose your languages and technologies based on "biggest vendor" and "level of acceptance". Java has probably the biggest pool of developers in the world you fuckhead. I know of very few corporations that don't have at least one or two serious java apps. "level of acceptance" my ass. You are an ignorant, stupid, childish little boy.

    --

    War is necrophilia.

  171. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Tom7 · · Score: 2


    Yikes..

    I plan on using SML.NET. Plenty of SML implementations exist, but none let me write win32 apps without lots of pain.

    I certainly don't choose my languages based on the size of vendors and level of acceptance. In fact, I hate when other people do that too, since I am somewhat of a language lover. I'll reiterate: the main thing that .NET has over java (and in fact, the most important thing in my view) is that it is a well supported language-neutral platform. That will let me program for Windows (or linux, or whatever) in whatever language I choose, providing it has a .NET implementation.

    As for your assertion that I am ignorant.. well, maybe I am naive about the real world, but I do know a lot about programming languages. I'm currently working on my PhD in them, actually. I'm sure you are sad that .NET and C# will likely (well, who knows?) take over where the JVM and Java left off, but there's no need to take it out on me!

  172. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Malcontent · · Score: 2

    If you are a phd candidate then please tell me your university. If they are willing to hand out PhDs to nincompoops like you I want to sign up too.

    "I certainly don't choose my languages based on the size of vendors and level of acceptance"

    I guess your last two posts mentioning the size of vendor and the level of acceptance were just lies then right?

    "That will let me program for Windows (or linux, or whatever) in whatever language I choose, providing it has a .NET implementation. "

    Right now there is no linux .net implementation. Maybe some day there will be one but I'd venture to say it will be exactly like the the version of IE for solaris and the version COM for solaris, just about useless and outdated by several years.

    "I'm sure you are sad that .NET and C# will likely (well, who knows?) "

    .NET and C# will be used by the same people who use VB now. They will be used to build windows apps. Java will still be used to build apps that need to work on multiple operating systems. Nothing will change.

    BTW. Yes you are still stupid idiot.

    --

    War is necrophilia.

  173. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Tom7 · · Score: 2


    The university is Carnegie Mellon University.

    > I guess your last two posts mentioning the size of
    > vendor and the level of acceptance were just lies
    > then right?

    No, I'm saying that a high level of acceptance and backing by a large vendor are good qualities, but that they hardly drive my language choice. This is clearly evidenced by my choice favorite language, SML, which is neither widely accepted or backed by a large vendor. Maybe I was unclear. What I am excited about is the likely popularity of the platform (essentially the CLR) so that I can target it with more interesting programming languages.

    > Maybe some day there will be one but I'd venture
    > to say it will be exactly like the the version
    > of IE for solaris and the version COM for
    > solaris, just about useless and outdated by
    > several years.

    Since .NET is actually documented, I think there will be plenty of people wanting to maintain a port to linux, so that they can run all of the apps written for it. But, I guess we'll see.

    Malcontent, you're not making a very good argument. In particular, the attacks against my person rather than my ideas are childish and irrelevant. Others reading your post must think you have some kind of vendetta against me. What is up with that?

  174. ArsTechnica article inaccuracies by pdrayton · · Score: 1

    Normally I like the ArsTechnica stuff, and this one was good in that it separated out managed code and managed data (mosts people shmoosh them together), but this one had tons of annoying technical innaccuracies. They bugged me so much I posted a rebuttal here.

  175. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Malcontent · · Score: 2

    What I have against is that you you are moron. A nonsensical moron at that. First you say you choose .net because it's backed by the biggest vendor then you say that does not matter. you say silly stupid things like "Since .NET is actually documented, I think there will be plenty of people wanting to maintain a port to linux" which makes no sense at all. There is no port of .NET for linux. They may be one for freebsd but that's a big question mark. There is mono but it's two years behind .NET. The important parts of .NET is not only copywrighted by MS they are also patented. Those parts will never be duplicated.

    Think before you speak or at least do some research for christ sake.

    --

    War is necrophilia.

  176. Re:Finally? Java has been out for about 5 years by Tom7 · · Score: 2


    I think I made it clear that I value widespread acceptance in a platform, but that it is not my only consideration. It's not even my primary consideration, though I don't know any mature platforms that can even hold up to .NET technologically.

    If you can't understand my posts, I guess it's not worth talking to you. Later.

    PS. You mean "copyrighted", not "copywrighted"!