What is .NET, Actually?

[guitarman]

During the first time when i've tried to understand what .NET is, i hardly find a simplified version to explain wht .NET really is. Now, I'd like to share my understanding of .NET. Hope to hear some sharing here as well.

.NET is another new Microsoft Framework platform. It concentrates on Rapid Application Development. You can use different programming language such as C#, VB.NET, C++ Manage Codes to develop both internet application and window application. All these languages will be compiled into an intermediate language called MSIL (Microsoft Intermediate Langauge). It is this MSIL that .NET framework make it possible that different programming languages can used to develop a single application. You may wonder so what! Well, it is good when you are in a big development team, while different developers are experts in different languages. In this case, each developer can develop his/her module using his/her desire programming language and at the end of the day combine with other developers.

Although you can write your own application, using notepad, Microsoft Visual Studio.NET is a full fledge Integrated Development Environment for Microsoft .NET Framework.

I hope you can contribute more to this beginning introduction to What is .NET, actually?