The MicroTrain Blog

There are various versions of .NET Framework. It’s a total confusion for developers trying to move to .NET programming on to which one should be installed and why.

With the Visual Studio 2005, the version that goes with it is 2.0. But if the client has Windows Vista, side by side, a 3.0 will also be available. Keep in mind, it may be different versions but at the end of the day, it’s about what classes are there that will benefit you as a developer.

Now, maybe some of you have already been working on Visual Studio 2008. Then this one has the framework 3.5. With the release of the Visual Studio 2010, definitely the version will be at 4.0.

You may have noticed, as Microsoft releases a new version of their development environment, a new framework goes with it. But not just for the sake of coming up with new ones. With the version 3.0, what was introduced there is the primer for the foundation classes and the full blown of that is in the 3.5. So what are these foundation classes for?

Foundation classes are the new generation technologies for building up applications that are way more advanced in many aspects. For example, the Windows Presentation Foundation class aka WPF is a technology that allows developer to build a window based application with a layer for animation, intuitiveness and not just pure fancy. On top of that, there are other classes that addressed workflow and communication. Who will not want this after all?

.NET is evolving pretty fast to address faster development time, code reusing and securing applications. Everything is in the object. It’s a matter of knowing which class library to use from which framework version to address your need.

For more information about the side by side what’s in it at each version, check out Microsoft website or better yet Wikipedia. Or check back and I may have to differentiate it in my next blog.

Certification exam sets you apart from the rest. When you apply for a job, obviously you know you are qualified but someone else was picked over you. Adding a certification exam not just spice up your resume’ a bit but also justifies proficiency with the software.

What’s the basis? Let’s cite an example.

As a Project Manager, you have to know how to use Microsoft Project. The amount of knowledge is the question. How much do you know? I have heard it many times before the start of each class, 15 years experience, more than 20 years, entire career is on Project. After the class, reality check kicks in; only 20% of it is what the majority knew. Where’s the other 80%?

Certification exam wants to test the level of knowledge you have and the best practices to do a thing in a certain situation. Exam is not about definition of terms. If the situation is bringing all tasks in Project wherein it was initially entered in Excel by someone in the team then how do we go about doing it quickly without jeopardizing the best practices in doing so? Impossible, no such thing, copy and paste or the truth is you don’t know.

Exam question is like that. It is how to really do it following the best practices. Therefore, certification exam helps!