Sebastopol, CA--Whether you call it Visual C# 2005 (as Microsoft does) or C# 2.0, indications are that this programming language has a bright future. Take one industry source, TIOBE Software BV of Holland, a coding standards consulting company that rates the popularity of programming languages according to the worldwide availability of skilled engineers, courses, and third party vendors for its monthly Programming Community Index. TIOBE found that C# was a runner-up to Java for the most popular language of 2005, and predicts that it will become Microsoft's core language in 2006.
News like that comes as no surprise to .NET experts Jay Hilyard and Stephen Teilhet, authors of C# Cookbook (O'Reilly, US $54.99). "So many companies are adopting .NET to develop the next generation of applications, including web applications, that C# has become the language of choice for many developers," Hilyard explains. "Our book gets developers of all levels up to speed with the language, including those who are new to the language and new to programming in general."
The new edition of the popular C# Cookbook offers programmers a unique learn-as-you-go format that features solutions to three hundred of the most common and not-so-common tasks they'll face when working with C# 2.0. "Nearly every recipe contains a complete, documented code sample that shows programmers how to solve the specific problem, as well as a discussion of how the underlying technology works and a list of alternatives, limitations, and other considerations," Teilhet offers. "These prepackaged and tested code recipes give them the ability to shave time off their schedules."
The second edition has been updated to include the new features of just-released C# 2.0, and offers more than ninety new recipes. Each of the twenty chapters is focused on a particular topic that C# programmers will encounter, including:
"The .NET Framework is huge," Teilhet points out. "There are so many classes that a developer who is just starting to use the framework will quickly be overwhelmed by its enormous size. This book pulls out the gems of the .NET Framework, teaches programmers how to use them, and then gives them pre-built code so that they don't have to write it. Our book also guides them through the process of determining how best to use the new language enhancements in C# 2.0."
Programmers new to C# will find this book a great way to get started and learn skills on the fly. Experienced C# programmers will use it as a handy way to review syntax and common case uses, and a resource for solving knottier problems they encounter as their experience with the language grows. "We have an entire chapter devoted to recipes dealing with security and how to properly write secure code," Hilyard adds. "Wherever a security concern arises in a recipe's code we cover that concern as well."
As experienced programmers and consultants immersed in Windows development for the past decade, Hilyard and Teilhet began using C# when the pre-alpha version of the language appeared, and based the first edition of C# Cookbook on programming problems they ran into as they learned the language. "The recipes in this book are targeted at the real world developer who needs to solve problems now, not learn lots of theory first," Teilhet explains. "Reference or tutorial books can teach general concepts, but we chose to teach by example, the natural way for most people to learn."
Additional Resources:
- Chapter 4, "Generics"
- More information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and samples
- A cover graphic in JPEG format
C# Cookbook
Jay Hilyard and Stephen Teilhet
ISBN: 0-596-10063-9, 1154 pages, $54.99 US
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.