In the SSL/CW list of top IT skills, .net is number
13.
What is it?
Microsoft .net has been described as Microsoft's development and
deployment platform for the next decade. The .net framework will be
used for building and running all kinds of software, particularly
web-based applications and web services.
Although .net is still largely built on Microsoft's proprietary
technology, it also uses platform-independent protocols such as
XML, Soap and HTTP.
Where did it originate?
Microsoft .net has been traced back to Com+ Runtime, an abortive
project that got lost in the labyrinth of Microsoft's component and
object proposals and announcements.
In the summer of 2000, .net was finally announced and opened up for
18 months of public testing and debate. Version 1.0 was released in
January 2002 and Version 1.1 came out with Visual Studio
2003.
What is it for?
There are two parts to the .net framework: the Common Language
Runtime (CLR) and the Framework Class Library (FCL).
The CLR is much more than a runtime environment, as it includes
many services for developers. As well as managing the execution of
user code and just-in-time compilation, it provides memory
management, exception management and debugging. It also provides a
common set of APIs across all supported programming
languages.
The FCL combines the Microsoft foundation classes used by C++
developers and the Windows foundation classes used by Java
developers, and makes them available to other developers, including
Visual Basic and Javascript programmers.
What makes it special?
The .net framework allows programmers to choose whatever language
suits them best and about 20 languages are supported. Different
languages can be used within a single application. Non-Microsoft
languages include Fortran, Pascal, Perl, Python, Cobol, RPG and
Smalltalk.
Microsoft .net also encourages code reuse, minimising the amount
developers have to write. Base classes provide standard
functionality such as input/output, string manipulation, security
management, network communications, thread management, text
management and user interface design features.
How difficult is it to master?
Microsoft's goal for .net is to make life easier for developers,
although users of Microsoft's development tools are finding
differences as they move to .net versions.
Where is it used?
Microsoft says there are more than one million .net developers
worldwide, and more than 750 user groups. User organisations
include Autodesk, Credit Suisse First Boston and Xerox.
What makes it hot?
According to the SSL/CW survey, demand for .net remained unchanged
between 2002 and 2003, which sounds unimpressive except that all
other top 25 skills except C# declined over this period, many by
50% to 60%.
What systems does it run on?
Microsoft's platforms including Pocket PC 2000 and Windows CE.
There are various projects to port it to other systems such as
Linux, DotGnu's Portable.net, and the Mono project started by the
Ximian corporation, now owned by Novell.
What is coming up?
The Whidbey and Orcas releases of Visual Studio .net in 2004 and
2005.
