.NET as standard

.NET framework is an open standard developed by Microsoft, its implementation is a set of libraries that contain functions to perform common tasks, so that programmers do not have to retype the repetitive parts of the program. In addition, .NET defines a standard way to communicate between two programs and programming languages called IL and C#.

Between implementations of .NET are Dot/GNU of the GNU project, Mono Framework of Novell (Owners of the distribution SUSE Linux) and .NET Framework from Microsoft. All three share the same basic structure, libraries and the same language equivalent. So that most programs to write for one of these implementations. NET will run in the other.

Despite being registered with an open standard ECMA and ISO, there are differences in implementations mainly because Microsoft has the lead in development and implementations Mono and Dot/GNU are lagging behind. On the other hand that Microsoft's implementation only works on Windows systems, while Dot/GNU focuses on systems derived from UNIX and Mono is intended to function on multiple platforms.

It is worth noting the similarity level architecture that .NET Mycrosistems and Sun Java have, with the difference that the latter is not an open standard. Also note that Microsoft and Mono have developed a tool for interactive applications, which competes with Adobe Flash. This tool is called SilverLight in the world of Microsoft and MoonLight in Mono.

Finally, .NET is the foundation of the Web development platform ASP.NET, direct competition from PHP and JSP. Likewise .NET is the framework for XBOX and XBOX 360 systems from Microsoft.

What you get may differ form what you see

From the very first entry of this blog, I started having issues with the formating of itself. I'm using a editor that is embedded in the web, that editor also claims that "what you see is what you get". But in the practice what I get is a lot of empty "span" HTML tags, and similar stuff, for example the paragraphs are done using the HTML tag "div" instead of "p".

¡And I don't like it!

As I know my HTML ancient arts, I would prefer to have more control over what I will be posting, but then again I would like to do not have to think about it when I am writing. So I decided to write my HTML apart in a desktop software. I started using Geany, because it's what I use for web development (when I'm not on Visual Studio), and that's how I wrote my first article.

¡But it's not quite the same!

I have discovered that this blog preserves the new lines that I had in HTML, the result is that I had some lines where I didn't expect them. I may start searching for a software that does my posting with a better formatting.

In the meanwhile, I'll forget about the "span" atrocities, and just keep going on my writing of this blog.

Edit: So far I've fixed the format, I'm only using HTML to write posts, and telling blogger to do not insert new lines. Also always remember to use "p" in my HTML.

English & Spanish, new tags on birth

I have to face this issue: having content that may present problems to translate to Spanish. As I've said in another post, I'm from Colombia, so I want to keep a good translation to Spanish. In order to do so, my first step is to review the translation that Google does for this Blog. After I've decided that the translation is Ok, I'll post the translated version to C# porque no sé ++.

This have a drawback. It may happen that the translation get delayed, so for those interested in the lastest topics, there is a translation box. On the right, below the search box. in there you can select "Español" to view this Blog in Spanish. I'm making sure that all the translations that Google provides for this Blog are accurate and that will never change the meaning of the text I have in it.

But now, let's suppose that I would like to share a few videos from another source... for example, but the videos are not easy to translate from English to Spanish (or vice-versa), It's also time consuming to provide close caption or another similar technology (I would probably better do that, you can blame by choosing to do not do that). And since I'm from Colombia I expect to have certain level of visitor that speak Spanish, and the odds are that there will be people that may be not so good in English too. The videos are going to be a problem, since I can have them in English or in Spanish.

So... for those, there is always the option to learn English, be it with a movie, a book, video games, or with a teacher. Though I'm not English teacher, I can find a few books to learn English from internet.

¡But I still want to post the videos! (and other language specific stuff).

Edit: All that stuff will be posted to C# porque no sé ++, if I can't provided a decent translation to English, I'll add the tag "Spanish" to the article when I post it in this blog. Also, if I post something here that I can't properly translate to spanish to add it to C# porque no sé ++ then that post will have the tag "English".

Code and Google

I'm having the next issue: I've been trying to write a "hello world" example for "C#" in the blog. But when I translate it to Spanish... the code is also translated, so far I have found these options:

1. Post the code as an image, so it can't be translated.
2. Post the code inside an iframe, so it won't get translated.
3. Post the examples twice, one for English, and one for Spanish.

My issue for the first one is that the code cannot be copied, and I want the code to be copied by my readers (in the thinking that I will have readers). So the second may be preferable... but it means to host the code somewhere else. About the third one... I want to write once. You know, to reuse and stuff.

Edit: I have decided to write a blog dedicated to readers that have Spanish as their natural language. You can find it here: C# porque no sé ++

New blog

Hello, this is my new blog "C# dash & slash".

But, ¿who I am?

cl My name is Alfonso Ramos and I'm a independent Software developer and... new writer of blogs?

I'm writing a blog because of three big factors:

1. the first one is that mail is a mess, I've often found myself writing or reading a lot on my mail account that simply a blog would make things easier.
2. Second is that I wish to share some knowledge with ECMA-334 (I mean C#) and ECMA-335 (I mean (dot).NET-Framework, also Mono).
3. And third, because it's an opportunity to have a -bigger- name in Internet.

So, this brings a few obvious questions to the table:

¿What will I be blogging about?

I will be writing about, the things people write to me about, the things I do with computers (some projects and so), and what is happening in the Industry that affects me. and why not a few jokes if they come handy.

¿Why would you read my blog?

I don't know, that's up to you, I will not make any promises, neither give incentives whatsoever to come and read my ramblings and crazy stuff. But, then again... ¿Why not? if you have some time to spend (I know you have since you are reading this already) the odds are that you may find something interesting to read here, if not, well, that's ok too.

¿How can you contact me?

Via mail, the old system still works, so you can use it, find how to mail me from my profile. Still I'll do my best to avoid the need to force people to mail me (you know, this is a blog so you leave comments and stuff). About that, I'll be a "optimistic moderator" about messages, all messages are in by default but I reserve the right to delete any messages I find harmful or troublesome. This is opposed to pessimistic moderation, which is when you do not let any message in until is reviewed. I'll probably switch to that at some point in the future if this blog doesn't go too well. So, if you feel like telling me something please comment when possible, otherwise there is always the "old way" e-mail.

Edit: I've added a new contact section to this blog, look for it at the top menu.

My own faults

I have a few faults on my self about writing, this is the basic list:

1. I give too few links. That is, there are a lot of pages I may be referencing in this blog, but I'm not doing it because I forgot about it, or I'm just lazy.
2. I write a lot, if you let me. And you are leaving me. It may be trouble, then again it can be fixed easy by splitting what I write here in more than one post.

Edit: This is the english version of the Blog "C# porque no sé ++". I have writen that blog in Spanish. If you are a Spanish speaker I recommend you to visit it.

Now, if you find me committing any of the above sins, let me know. I try to fix the post or add new post to cover the problem. ¿How to? Try leaving comments in the post, or if that doesn't work go to use e-mail, get my e-mail information from my profile.

The birth of the "blog" tag

This is the birth of the tag called "Blog", it's intended to be used on all the articules that describe info about the blog itself, and also all the articules that talk about my experience writing this blog, or articles that have a special function but are not oriented to the content -except the births of tags-

"C#" are ".NET" are tags births as twins!

This is a double birth, my first article oriented to content, is related to "C#", and ".NET", so I will give birth to both tags at the same time.

Now, the tag called "C#" will go to all that have any relation to the language, how to write something in "C#", examples and that kind of stuff, I'm open to write a lot of that in relative to that language in the near future.

Also, the tag called ".NET" will go for all that related to ".NET" this will include the part of Mono that's an implementation of ECMA-335. I think I will give birth to the "Mono" tag to all the articles that are specific to the progress of the Mono project... but that's another tale, that must be told in another moment.

The birth of the "HTML" tag

Today we are here not to hold sorrow, but to celebrate the birth of the more ambiguous of all tags! the "HTML" tag!

This is a tag to be set to the articles, not a tag of "HTML"... OK, that may be confusing, what I'm saying is that I will set "HTML" as a tag to all the articles that are related to HTML, makes sense? Good!

Tag birth

At the first time I set a new tag to an article, the plan is to describe what will fit in that tag. In order to do so, I will write an article of "tag birth". So, to start the metodology of tag births, this is the tag birth of "TagBirth".

Under the TagBirth, I will set all the articles that are of "tag birth", from now on. Also a rule will be that all articles of "tag birth" will have the tag that has been born.