After reading Linux Format Magazine (LXF) Issue #91, in which they used Mono to code a GTK gui, I decided to take up C# programming. I will follow along with the tutorials and gain another programming language under my belt. Today I started with LXF #87 and completed my C# “hello world” program. The syntax is interesting – it’s a cross between C and Java. Of course, that makes sense as it lists those as its predecessors. Python (and Perl) is still much quicker for short programs, but for complex ones C# seems to be the way to go. At least, a lot of neat Gnome projects have been created with C# such as Banshee, Tomboy, and f-spot.

Also, according to LXF #91’s tutorial, building GTK (Gnome) applications with C# seems to be easy – relatively speaking. I mean, writing GUIs is such a PITA that most books on programming languages devote 1/56 of 1/42 of 1/101 of a chapter to it – if that much. It’s hard and it’s a different way of looking at programs. I’ve always resented my programming classes for that – after all – how many of today’s programs are GUI-less? With Linux I’ve learned to love and appreciate the command line and its lack of graphics, but there are still times when GUIs really help and I’ve always wanted to learn to create one.

So, here I go with Mono (linux’s reverse-engineering of MS’s .NET) and a new adventure with yet another programming language.