When .Net was first introduced, for many (myself included) it was hard to see how it could offer anything more than the already-known and widely used Java. However it soon became easy to see how useful it actually was, and is ironically a very popular platform used regularly today.
You may be asking yourself, what is .Net or what sets it apart from other platforms? While it shares a common ground in many ways, it actually is quite different. So the question is, how so?
You may also wonder whether or not it would be a smart choice to learn .Net, in fear of how long it will actually be around and useful?
There are so many technical details out there, it can be really difficult to decipher what's what when trying to decide whether you should even be using .Net. It almost seems like you have to be an expert just to make the right decision.
Thankfully:
.NET is actually easier to understand than Java. It's technically simpler in a sense. Also, it will definitely be around next year, and you can tell that for yourself if you listen to certain key signals from the market place. And finally the reason to use it is non-technical so you don't have to invest much energy before deciding.
A Little Less Complicated:
.Net is unique from Java in that you can use 100s of different languages to program within it. Therefore, it is simply just a Platform, whereas Java is a Platform AND a Language. This means that you are not limited to using just one language in .Net, as you would be in Java.
Also unlike Java, .NET contains the API's in the Platform rather than separately as other projects or modules. This means you do not need to hunt down external libraries to do common tasks.
About Longevity, the way to tell if .Net will be around for a while, is by looking at whether Microsoft continues to release new versions of it. As long as they are, you have nothing to worry about. That goes for their operating systems too.
It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that the reason .Net is sure to be around another 5-10 years is also the reason why so many people would want to use it: The .Net platform is becoming increasingly more easy to adopt. Microsoft makes this possible using their systematic approach to marketing, in addition to focusing on regularly adding new and exciting functionality to appeal to companies and developers alike.
Consequentially, developers who use .Net have access to higher rates, as well as peace of mind that the platform they are using is going to deliver what they need.
Proof in the Pudding:
It may be a little confusing how you could program using .Net if it's just a platform and not a Language. Fortunately, 99% of people who use .Net will tell you that the solution lies in C# and/or VB.NET. Remember, .Net is just the Platform that gives you the capability.
Pertaining to longevity, Microsoft shows that many customers have switched to using .Net for its' functionality and are enthusiastic about continuing to use it for that reason. Therefore, it's expected that the developers who use .Net to make their living, will continue to be able to do so.
In Summary:
.NET is a Platform.
Microsoft's support in .NET ensures its longevity.
Lastly, a developer's decision to use .Net would be for the ongoing support and increased capabilities that Microsoft delivers to it each year without fail.
You may be asking yourself, what is .Net or what sets it apart from other platforms? While it shares a common ground in many ways, it actually is quite different. So the question is, how so?
You may also wonder whether or not it would be a smart choice to learn .Net, in fear of how long it will actually be around and useful?
There are so many technical details out there, it can be really difficult to decipher what's what when trying to decide whether you should even be using .Net. It almost seems like you have to be an expert just to make the right decision.
Thankfully:
.NET is actually easier to understand than Java. It's technically simpler in a sense. Also, it will definitely be around next year, and you can tell that for yourself if you listen to certain key signals from the market place. And finally the reason to use it is non-technical so you don't have to invest much energy before deciding.
A Little Less Complicated:
.Net is unique from Java in that you can use 100s of different languages to program within it. Therefore, it is simply just a Platform, whereas Java is a Platform AND a Language. This means that you are not limited to using just one language in .Net, as you would be in Java.
Also unlike Java, .NET contains the API's in the Platform rather than separately as other projects or modules. This means you do not need to hunt down external libraries to do common tasks.
About Longevity, the way to tell if .Net will be around for a while, is by looking at whether Microsoft continues to release new versions of it. As long as they are, you have nothing to worry about. That goes for their operating systems too.
It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that the reason .Net is sure to be around another 5-10 years is also the reason why so many people would want to use it: The .Net platform is becoming increasingly more easy to adopt. Microsoft makes this possible using their systematic approach to marketing, in addition to focusing on regularly adding new and exciting functionality to appeal to companies and developers alike.
Consequentially, developers who use .Net have access to higher rates, as well as peace of mind that the platform they are using is going to deliver what they need.
Proof in the Pudding:
It may be a little confusing how you could program using .Net if it's just a platform and not a Language. Fortunately, 99% of people who use .Net will tell you that the solution lies in C# and/or VB.NET. Remember, .Net is just the Platform that gives you the capability.
Pertaining to longevity, Microsoft shows that many customers have switched to using .Net for its' functionality and are enthusiastic about continuing to use it for that reason. Therefore, it's expected that the developers who use .Net to make their living, will continue to be able to do so.
In Summary:
.NET is a Platform.
Microsoft's support in .NET ensures its longevity.
Lastly, a developer's decision to use .Net would be for the ongoing support and increased capabilities that Microsoft delivers to it each year without fail.
About the Author:
Jason Cotton is Microsoft Certified as a Developer for Applications for three .NET Environments, Web, Windows and Distributed. He's also written an in-depth 5 part series on What is .NET which you can find on his well organized blog about ASP.NET Tutorial
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