Do any real developers use the .NET platform?

Microsoft seems to be pushing the .NET framework big time. For example, with the latest release of Visual C++, Microsoft is making a big deal about the "New C++" -- a new syntax to make C++ work on .NET. Of course, Visual Basic is also .NET now, and they even have a new programming language for .NET called C#. My question is: do any professional developers really use .NET? Are there any really popular software programs that use the .NET framework?

Do any real developers use the .NET platform?
A ton of companies use .NET. .NET developers can make $70,000 a year, especially if they know C#. Most of the jobs I've applied to ask for .NET knowledge and experience.





The .NET framework basically lets you write any program, whether it's in C#, Visual C++, J# (their version of Java), etc. and still make the same executable. It also provides a common framework for web development (ASP.NET) and databases (SQL Server).





My software engineering professor says that Microsoft is rewriting much of their code to C#. Most code is written in C++, but coding in C++ is very prone to errors. C# is a safer language than C++, and programs written in C# run nearly as fast as programs written in C++.





I'm not a big fan of .NET. I think it's slower to code in, the error messages in debugging are not very helpful, and the documentation doesn't have very good examples. I also have a theory that companies use .NET because the computer illiterate boss tells the programmers to use it since it's from Microsoft.
Reply:You are very welcome. Good luck in your programming endeavour. Report It

Reply:As a former C++ programmer, you will eventually find that C#.Net programming to be much easier and convenient. Think of C# as C++ without all the inexplicable nuances of C++ and C. Report It

Reply:Well, I've got some news for you. .NET will die with Windows XP. Windows Vista doesn't have a shred of .NET code in it nor will it support the .NET framework. Some programs require this to run, the ATi Catalyst Control Center for example. Let's hope ATi gets a rewrite out before Vista is released. There are also some photo editing programs that require this as well to run like Paint.NET so I guess I won't be using that anymore either. Remember how XP broke a lot of your 95/98 programs well Vista is going to do the same to a lot of XP programs. Oh, I'm still getting Vista because it's so pretty. Maybe I'll install both Vista and XP, now there's an idea.





Okay, so maybe kill was a strong word. .NET 2.0 will be replaced with WinFX in Vista and while WinFX is built on top of the .NET 2.0 framework it is not exactly .NET per se. Not that I'm a fan of .NET and sometimes I wish it would just go away but it's far too late for that. And as far as I know WinFX wil be released to Windows XP users as well, http://support.microsoft.com/default.asp...
Reply:Lots of companies are building .NET applications.








For the person who says Windows Vista will kill .NET:





.NET Framework is embedded into Windows Vista, and several components in Windows are built off of the .NET Framework.
Reply:you should be hidden in a cave to not realize that .NET has a big market share right now.





I could point you to endless resources but I would never finish.





Just to give you an idea, there are many big companies developing components just for the .NET plataform. And ther are incredible, complex and very functional components.





IE:


www.infragistics.com


www.devexpress.com


www.xceedsoft.com





I think that if there would not be professional developers in the .NET platform, there would not be this kind of companies, dont you think?