The first computer programming book Iread was entitled Programming Windows 3.0by
Charles Petzold. This was around the time when Microsoft Windows 3.0 (circa 1992) once and
for all showed the industry that Microsoft was acompany with afuture. Writing code for Windows
back then was complicated by many things: lack of documentation, 16-bit architecture, and
the necessity of buying acompiler separate from the software development kit (SDK). Charles’s
book tied everything together and solved the problem of how to write aprogram for Windows.
Now the problems are quite the opposite: we have too much documentation, we have
64-bit architectures, and everything including the kitchen sink is thrown into adevelopment
environment. Now we need to figure out what we actually need. We have too many options—
too many ways to solve the same problem. What Iam trying to do with this book is the same
thing that Charles did for me when Ifirst started out, and that was to help me figure out what
Ineeded to write code.
This book is about explaining the C# programming language in the context of solving
problems. C# has become asophisticated programming language that can achieve many
goals, but you are left wondering what techniques to use when. This book is here to answer
your questions.
This book is not areference to all of the features of the C# programming language. Idon’t
explain the esoteric C# features. Istick to the C# programming features that you will use day in
and day out. That does not mean that you will be missing certain C# programming language
constructs, because Ihave covered all of the major features.
To get the full benefit of this book, Isuggest that you do the exercises at the end of the
chapters. The answers are available on the Apress web site (http://www.apress.com), and you
can cheat and not do the exercises, but Iadvise against that.
If you are abeginning programmer who has no clue about C#, and you read this book and
do the exercises, Iam almost entirely sure that you will be asolid and knowledgeable C# pro-
grammer by the end of the book. If that sounds like abig promise, well, yes it is. The chapter
text is intended to get you acquainted with the C# programming language and how to apply its
features. The exercises are intended to make sure you actually understand the C# programming
language and its features.
The chapter exercises are challenging. They cannot be solved within afew minutes. In fact,
when Idid all of the exercises, it took me five working-hour days to do all of them!
If you have any questions, such as, “So what was he trying to get at with that exercise?”
Iam available on Skype with the user ID christianhgross. Please don’t just ring me. First chat
using text, and if necessary, we can have avoice conversation. Also, you can send e-mail to me
at christianhgross@gmail.com.
Thanks and good luck.
