Hi, I would like to learn programming Windows Applications. I don't know where to start. Is it better to start with .NET framework or COM? I know C language very well, and basics of C++; however, I don't have any experience programming complex C++ applications. I would appreciate any advice, books, websites. Regards, Kiryl

Hi, I would suggest Java if you want to learn GUI programming in easy and straight-forward manner. But since you are a C/C++ guy, then you should start to learn Windows API (Google is a good choice to look for tutorials and references!). But Windows API has the difficulty of having too many details so that you can miss the general picture. -- mohameda@ieee.org

I would suggest Java if you want to learn GUI programming in easy and straight-forward manner. No offense, but Java's GUI system is anything but straightforward. There's times I use Java, and it does have it's advantages, but I don't believe it's GUI is one of them. Besides, suggesting to somebody who wants to learn Windows programming that they should start with Java is pretty silly. I'd suggest either going with MFC and C++ (Visual Studio 6.0 standards) or .NET and C# (Visual Studio .NET standards).

Thanks all. Regarding Java, I'm a Java guy. I know it pretty well, excluding new SWT. But I have never did any programming for Windows, I programmed for Solaris/BSD systems. So I figured that Windows is mostly about C/C++, that's why I asked. So I'll start with Windows API. Thanks. BTW, why is it MFC and C++, but .NET and C#? Is C# main .NET language? Regards, Kiryl

BTW, why is it MFC and C++, but .NET and C#? Is C# main .NET language? To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I know that C# is usually (always?) used with .NET and Windows, but I'm not sure how much standard C++ is used with .NET. Hopefully somebody here who's used .NET before knows :)

Hi, Like to learn windows programming basics in pure C++ standard? I'd recommend: Windows Programming with C++ by Henning Hansen http://www.awprofessional.com/title/0201758814 I should add that you should be comfortable with C or maybe C++ to kickstart this book. Why not learn C++, it is just like C but with the OO and namespace stuff. saddam