Depending on the edition of Visual Studio you are using, some of the steps illustrated in this book may not appear exactly the same on your screen. However, the differences are minor, and you should not have any problem in following the steps outlines in each chapter.
In addition, readers using Windows Vista should launch Visual Studio 2008 (as well as the Command Prompt window) in Administrator mode. To do so:
□ Click on Vista Start button.
□ Locate the program you want to launch (Visual Studio 2008, or Command Prompt).
□ Right-click on the program and select Run as Administrator.
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Part I
C# Fundamentals
Chapter 1
The .NET Framework
The .NET Framework is a development framework created by Microsoft to enable developers to build applications that run on Microsoft (and other) platforms. Understanding the basics of the .NET Framework is essential because a large part of C# development revolves around using the classes in that framework.
This chapter explains the key components in the .NET Framework as well as the role played by each of the components. In addition, it examines the relationships among the various versions of the Framework, from version 1.0 to the latest 3.5.
What's the .NET Framework?
