Ben H Blog - Keep it Simple, Then Refactor.

Hi, My name is Ben and I am a C# developer.  It’s been 1 minute since I wrote a line of C# code.

Am I the only one that has noticed some negativity towards C# and .NET these days?  All this buzz and talk about HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript has C# devs on the defensive.  Lately, I feel like I need to apologize for using C#, ASP.NET, XAML and\or Visual Studio.  Everyone wants to use JavaScript for everything.  It looks like this post by Jeff is 100% accurate.  In the article, Jeff says anything that can be written in JavaScript will be.

Node.js is a huge example of this.  Don’t get me wrong Node is a great way to build a fast, scalable cross platform web interface for FREE!  I get it, it’s FREE.  However, let’s discuss the word “free” for minute.  Is it free if it takes me twice as long to develop it?  Is it free if I have to import all these open source modules, libraries and frameworks, some of which have licensing that forbid commercial use?  Is it free if my application breaks due to a bug in a new version of one of these open source projects?  To me the productivity gains I get from using IIS, ASP.NET MVC (or Web Forms), C# and Visual Studio are well worth the licensing fees required to build applications with .NET.  Not to mention all the unbelievable productivity tools provided by 3rd party vendors like Telerik.  In the long run, my users and customers don’t care about the backend technology as long as the architecture performs and can be scaled.  They also want it done as soon as possible.

Most of the C# developers I know love developing using .NET and Visual Studio (VS).  Hardcore open source proponents might say VS is cheating.  It abstracts much of the low level details and plumbing so the developer can focus on just building the application.  Is that wrong?  Maybe if you are writing a hardcore application that needs control over some low level operations.  Most apps these days don’t need that.  Plus I would argue that 3rd party JavaScript frameworks like jQuery, backbone, knockout, etc. do the same thing in the JavaScript world.  To me the abstractions that VS provides are all that is right with software development.

Ever since Microsoft killed Silverlight and provided HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript development for Windows Store Apps, C# developers get no love.  TypeScript is a perfect example of this.  I love TypeScript and use it to write large JavaScript based applications.  But TypeScript exists for one reason, because JavaScript development is painful for C# developers that have been spoiled by the most powerful language (C#) and IDE (VS) on the planet.  TypeScript is trying to bring all the features of these tools to JavaScript.  Eventually it will get there and we will all be writing applications that “compile” to JavaScript.

Visual Studio and C# produce software that runs on many different devices.  The apps created with these technologies might not always run on every device but they can target a large range of devices.  They might require some licensing fees, hosting fees or cloud fees.  My experiences is that these fees are a reasonable cost (or even a necessary cost) for writing and deploying good quality applications.

Finally, I want to say that I do not hate JavaScript.  I find it very similar to C#.  However, I miss all the value that the .NET framework and Visual Studio provides.  If I can ensure the environment my application runs in will have .NET installed I will use it every time.

Last weekend I spoke at the SoCal Code Camp in LA.  The event was held on the University of Southern California campus.  As a C# MVP and Telerik Insider, this code camp was a great opportunity for me to discuss geek stuff with my peers.  Here are a few pictures from the event:

I had two sessions during the weekend.  One on Windows 8 Development for the Enterprise and the other on Tips For Building Fast Multi-Touch Web Sites.  I got tons of positive feedback so I think the talks went well.  Below are links to the slide decks and code samples:

Windows 8 Apps for the Enterprise Links:

Initech Dashboard

Initech TPS Coversheet

Windows 8 Apps For the Enterprise Slides

Side Loading Install Scripts

Tips For Building Fast Multi-Touch Web Sites Links:

Fast Multi-Touch Web Site Slides

Finally, when I signed up for the code camp I was unaware the the Space Shuttle Endeavor was being moved to it’s permanent home at the LA Science museum.  When I landed in LA the shuttle was just leaving the airport on a 48+ hour journey to the museum.  Here are a few shots of the shuttle heading down the streets of LA:

I had a great time and enjoyed meeting fellow geeks and discussing all things related to code and space travel!

Thanks to my employer Aspenware, the Telerik Insider program and VS Live 360 I’m getting ready to embark on an adventure to sunny Arizona, California and Florida.

First, I will be in the San Francisco area this weekend (Oct. 6 and 7) to speak and represent Telerik at the Silicon Valley Code Camp.  I’m doing two sessions: the first on speeding up your websites and enabling them for touch browsing (Session Details).  My second session is on ASP.NET MVC and using the Kendo UI MVVM (Session Details).  Click here for more details about the code camp and to register for the event.

The next weekend (Oct. 13 and 14) I will be in LA for the SoCal Code Camp.  I am also representing Telerik and doing two talks at this code camp as well.  The first is the same talk on speeding up your websites and enabling them for touch browsing (Session Details).  My second session is on Windows 8 for the Enterprise (Session Details).   The Win 8 sessions will detail how to install your Windows Store apps without using an actual “Store”.  This is handy for testing and also for deploying apps inside your enterprise.  To see the other sessions and register for the event click here.

Next I will be representing Telerik in Chandler, Arizona for the Desert Code Camp on Nov. 17.  I will be presenting all three of the presentations I mentioned above (speeding up your websites and enabling them for touch browsing, Windows 8 for the Enterprise and ASP.NET MVC and using the Kendo UI MVVM).  You can see my sessions for this camp here.  You can see all the sessions and register here.

And for the grand finale I’ll be speaking at Visual Studio Live! December 10-14 in Orlando, FL http://bit.ly/VOSPK12.  Providing expert solutions for .NET Developers, Visual Studio Live! is great for developers, software architects, programmers and designers who are looking for hard-hitting, practical training from both industry experts and Microsoft insiders.

I’ll be presenting the following sessions:

· Expression Blend 5 For Developers: Design Your XAML or HTML5\CSS3 UI Faster

· Windows 8 Metro Style Apps for the Enterprise

SPECIAL OFFER: As a speaker, I can extend $500 savings on the 5-day package. Register here: http://bit.ly/VOSPK12Reg  and use code VOSPK12.

The extra-cool part about Visual Studio Live!: four events in one! This year, the event will be co-located with SQL Server Live!, SharePoint Live!, and Cloud & Virtualization Live!. You can customize your conference agenda and attend ANY sessions from all four events. Register now: http://bit.ly/VOSPK12Reg

Many thanks to Telerik for sponsoring me as an Insider.  I love their tools and the people that work there.  They are passionate about helping developers do their job.  I’m also very thankful to the folks at VS Live for selecting me to speak at their conferences as well.  VS Live conferences are the best conferences for the price out there period!

Please visit the websites for these great events and attend as many of them as you can!

Last week I spoke at the Denver Visual Studio User Group meeting on developing Windows 8 Metro (Windows Store) Style application for the Enterprise.  The main purpose of the talk was to inform developers that these types of applications can be useful for an Enterprise.  I also want the world to know that these Windows Store applications can be installed without going through the actual Windows Store using a technique called “side loading”.  When you side load an app on Windows 8 you can bypass some of the rules and regulations in place for these apps and build apps that might be more useful for internal line of business apps.  The details on how this is done and some links to online references are included in the slides.  The Demos demonstrate some of the techniques discussed in the slides.  Please download all the content and let me know if you have any questions.

Initech Dashboard

Initech TPS Coversheet

Windows 8 Apps For the Enterprise Slides

Side Loading Install Scripts