[AGDev-newbies] C-sharp was wav files

[Thomas Ward]

Hi Sean.
Actually, there is a version of C#.net for Linux and Mac OS via mono. So 
in that sense C#.net is not specific to Windows although Microsoft would 
like it to be since they came up with the language first. There is 
however accessibility  problems with applications on other operating 
systems using C#.net.
As far as power that depends on what sorts of apps you want to write, 
and if rapid deployment is a factor.It also depends on if you need 
low-level programming or if high-level programming will work.
For example C#.net will allow you to quickly design editors, databases, 
games, reporting applications, calculators, and many other day to day 
applications. I have even seen a photo editor and picture viewer written 
in C#.net.
The down side to languages like VB.net and C#.net is they don['t compile 
to a native binary and compile to an intermediate language binary that 
gets read and run by the .net framework. This has huge security risks 
for protecting your source code. You have to fix it by buying 
applications that scrambles the MSIL binary to something unreadable by 
humans to secure your program from hackers and theft.
C++ on the other hand is about the most powerful language known to 
programmers. It is able to be used to write higher-level apps like 
editers, databases, etc with more development time and expense. The 
language can go beyond those apps and write hardware drivers, extremely 
profetional games, greater security, and it can be used and is used to 
write such screen reader applications such as Jaws and Window Eyes. So 
you know what can be done with it in the right hands.
C++ is also used on every operating system known so those skills will 
cary over to whatever operating system you wish to use. As I have said 
it is a very powerful language.
The down side to C++ is that it is more complex than say C#.net, and has 
a bigger learning curve. At least i feel there is one. In addition some 
tasks such as making a dialog box is much more complicated using the 
standard Microsoft win32 API than if you use the .net framework which 
largely has the work done for you.



Sean Mealin wrote:
> Is it as powerful as C++? Since it is a .Net language, I guess it would be
> windows specific? 
>
> Sorry for all the questions. 
>