C# appreciation thread

How many of you guys prefer coding in C#? I feel that C# is the best language for quickly coding programs for windows, and with managed directx there's tons of awesome stuff you can do. I just started my computer-education this autumn, and we're being forced to make stuff in java. Java and C# are pretty much identical, only C# has more functionality (WHY doesn't java have properties? X| ), has the infitely superior development environment ('cause remembering the syntax of your programming language is SO last paradigm), and, in my experience, runs a good deal faster than java.

>>13

I didn't say it's good.  I said it's valuable.  There's a difference.

Java has its place, though, as almost every language does.  I still think it's great fun for small-to-medium sized webapps.

>>14

You have a simplified view of the virtual machine paradigm.  While I agree that the lack of initial cross-platform support is a significant potential feature that's being given the boot, you're disregarding other advantages of the virtual machine approach.

* Multi-language interoperability if the languages are built on the same VM.  This way even the language snobs (>>10) can write code that interfaces with production code.

* Platform for API experimentation with (initially, anyway) no backcompat concerns.

* Additional "sandbox" infrastructure.  Another layer of isolation can only be a good thing.

* Ability to define a low level assembly language without creating a corresponding hardware architecture.

* And, with C# in particular, a sneaky means to introduce modern language features (whose absence language snobs like >>10 always bemoan) to the unwashed masses while maintaining a comfortable, familiar development environment.

And I've only scratched the surface.  Cross platform operability is *not* the only advantage to using a virtual machine paradigm.