C# has several advantages over other languages for developing desktop applications. It compiles to an intermediate language independently of the operating system, has automatic garbage collection, and does not require pointers, header files, or function declarations. C# also formalizes get/set methods, has a cleaner event model than C++ and Java, and supports value types, indexers, conditional compilation, simplified threading, and operator overloading. C# can be used to create Windows, console, Windows Forms, ASP.NET, web service, and smart device applications.

1. WHY C#?

2.  Why Should I Learn C# ?
 Advantages over C and C++
 Advantages over C++ and java
 Advantages over java
 C# Application Types

3.  Why should I learn C++ ?
• I support C# when developing desktop applications
and maybe games, but not for embedded systems
(such as microcontrollers), real time apps or
kernels, so the following advantages are only
applicable to desktop apps.

4.  Advantages over C and C++
• It is compiled to an intermediate language (CIL)
indepently of the language it was developed or the
target architecture and operating system
• Automatic garbage collection
• Pointers no longer needed (but optional)
• Reflection capabilities
• Don't need to worry about header files ".h"
• Definition of classes and functions can be done in
any order
• Declaration of functions and classes not needed
• Unexisting circular dependencies
• Classes can be defined within classes

5. • There are no global functions or variables,
everything belongs to a class
• All the variables are initialized to their default values
before being used (this is automatic by default but
can be done manually using static constructors)
• You can't use non-boolean variables (integers,
floats...) as conditions. This is much more clean and
less error prone
• Apps can be executed within a restricted sandbox

6.  Advantages over C++ and java
• Formalized concept of get-set methods, so the
code becomes more legible
• More clean events management (using delegates)

7.  Advantages over java
• Usually it is much more efficient than java and runs
faster
• CIL (Common (.NET) Intermediate Language) is a
standard language, while java bytecodes aren't
• It has more primitive types (value types), including
unsigned numeric types
• Indexers let you access objects as if they were
arrays
• Conditional compilation
• Simplified multithreading
• Operator overloading. It can make development a
bit trickier but they are optional and sometimes
very useful

8. • (limited) use of pointers if you really need them, as
when calling unmanaged (native) libraries which
doesn't run on top of the virtual machine (CLR)

9.  C# Application Types
• Windows applications
• Console applications
• Windows Forms applications
• ASP.NET Web applications
• ASP.NET Web Service applications
• Smart Device applications
• ActiveX applications
• setup and deployment applications.