Conversions Growing In Number At User Group Meetings with .NET Training
Java developers report “new meaning” in their lives after hearing about C#.NET
NEW YORK, NY — Michael Copley used to program open
source projects in Java. After attending just one .NET user group meeting in New
York City, he’s got religion—and a new programming language.
“I was just drifting, but now my programming life has
meaning,”, explained Copley, 28, and a NYC native. “My open source lifestyle was
wild, and I loved swapping code with others, some of whom I didn’t even know.
Now, all that’s changed. I program .NET applications in the C# language!! “
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| Scott Donovan of Microsoft has witnessed many conversions at Microsoft.NET user group meetings throughout NYC and New England.
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User group meetings have taken on a near-revival flavor
as of late. Microsoft announced the .NET development platform in June of 2000.
Since then, adherents have become zealous, encouraging others to try C#.NET.
Converts attempt to win others to the Microsoft programming language at work, at
home and even at the airport in some cases. “At the end of the day, I run my
last build, get in my car, and drive out to LaGuardia. Then I talk to people
about C#.NET programming right at the terminal entrance”, explained Copley. “To
initiate conversation, I usually hand out those little Microsoft trinkets you
get at usergroup meetings. Everyone needs .NET!!”
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| User group meetings like this one have become the scene of many dramatic conversions.
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At question is the durability of the conversions,
especially those with a background of Java development and open source coding.
According to some reports, converts to C# easily backslide. One such incident
involved William Martin, a high-profile Java junkie who was well known for
articles and papers extolling the Java lifestyle. Martin attended one user group
meeting hosted by Scott Donovan of Microsoft. He claims Donovan’s Elmer
Gantry-style presentation changed his programming completely. He wrote about the
conversion in books, periodicals and on the web. But months later, he was back
sharing code with Java programmers.
“I thought I was found with C#, but it just didn’t
take,” explained Martin. “I think part of the problem was I got involved with C#
before the official Visual Studio launch.” But others observing the C# scene say
otherwise.
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| Bill Martin converted to C#.NET and thought he would never look back. But it didn’t take. Now he’s coding in Java again, and sharing code with open source programmers.
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Dr. Walter Bennett of the Columbia School of Medicine
has studied several dozen conversions, and claims the effects are not lasting.
“Many of these programmers are swept along by Microsoft marketing,” explained
Bennett. “The few of these people that actually have lasting conversions can be
tormented by the memories of what they did in the past. Anyone conflicted in
this way cannot have a true conversion experience.”
Even so, some converted Java-to-C# programmers have
taken completely to their new programming lives. One such developer who spoke to
us with assurance of anonymity explained, “now that I code with the CLR, I can’t
get in trouble with type declarations that are not safe. In my previous life, I
wasn’t even aware of the risks I was taking. But with C#.NET training and the
.NET Framework training I received as a free gift from Microsoft, I’m on the
path to safe programming. And I wouldn’t dream of sharing my code with
anyone—ever again—ever.”
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