What exactly is C#?

[Van Nastring]

The definition I found:
Pronounced "see-sharp." A hybrid of C and C++, it is a Microsoft programming
language developed to compete with Sun's Java language. C# is an
object-oriented programming language used with XML-based Web services on the
..NET platform and designed for improving productivity in the development of
Web applications. C# boasts type-safety, garbage collection, simplified type
declarations, versioning and scalability support, and other features that
make developing solutions faster and easier, especially for COM+ and Web
services. Microsoft critics have pointed to the similarities between C# and
Java

What is a .NET platform? Windows, no? and by XML-based web services, is
that like what yahoo has provides, news headlines in xml that you can use in
your program to prase, as an example?
(http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/topstories)

 

[Ivan Krivyakov]

What is a .NET platform? Windows, no?

Not exactly.
See http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q="what+is+.NET"

and by XML-based web services, is that like what yahoo has provides

The answer to this can also be found via google by typing "what are web services"
in the search line.

Google search is a great tool. Use it to your advantage.
In particular, see this article:

http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2846997,00.html

Ivan

 

[Mountain Bikn' Guy]

The definition I found:
Pronounced "see-sharp." A hybrid of C and C++,

I don't think so. Try instead something like "another iteration of the C
family of languages that adds a host of modern and advanced concepts not
present in C or C++"

used with XML-based Web services

I program in C# but I don't do any web services, so again the definition
given is much too limiting.

.NET platform and designed for improving productivity in the development of
Web applications.

C# boasts type-safety, garbage collection, simplified type
declarations, versioning and scalability support, and other features that
make developing solutions faster and easier,

No problem with that part.

especially for COM+

..
This part of the definition is distorted, in my opinion

Microsoft critics have pointed to the similarities between C# and Java

I wish I could find the link to an excellent article I read that described
how (and from who) microsoft acquired the core CLR/JITer technology. It was
a super interesting article, but I can't find a link to it now.

Here's another potentially useful llink -- but the history part of the
article is very distorted in my opinion.
http://www.codeproject.com/dotnet/dotnet.asp

 

[Mountain Bikn' Guy]

.... found it
http://www.dnjonline.com/articles/essentials/iss24_essentials.html

(using Google, of course. ... I can't find stuff on my own computer, but
Google can find it about anywhere

 

[Mike Schilling]

Microsoft critics have pointed to the similarities between C# and Java.

As have many people who work in both languages, of all political stripes.
They're very similar languages; you can make of that what you will.