Chapter 7: The .NET Framework

A Class Library Designed for Use and Reuse

In chapter 2, I offered a mainframe analogy to begin my explanation of the .NET Framework. The analogy concerned a group of mainframe partitioned datasets (PDSs) being used as an extensive library of copybooks, utilities, subprograms, and software routines. As you recall, this previous discussion was one of several digestible bites of the much larger (.NET) elephant. As I attempted to answer the question "What is .NET?" in Chapter 2, I included the .NET Framework as one of several "correct" answers to that question. Well, in this chapter, I propose two new questions:

• What is the .NET Framework?

• How can you (re)use the .NET Framework?

After you obtain an understanding of the .NET Framework and how to use and reuse the .NET Framework, you will begin to see the real power behind developing on the .NET platform.