The .NET Framework (pronounced dot net) is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability (each language can use code written in other languages). The .NET library is available to all the programming languages that .NET supports. Programs written for the .NET Framework execute in a software environment (as contrasted to hardware environment), known as the Common Language Runtime (CLR), an application virtual machine that provides important services such as security, memory management, and exception handling. The class library and the CLR together constitute the .NET Framework. The .NET Framework's Base Class Library provides user interface, data access, database connectivity, cryptography, web application development, numeric algorithms, and network communications. Programmers produce software by combining their own source code with the .NET Framework and other libraries. The .NET Framework is intended to be used by most new applications created for the Windows platform. Microsoft also produces a popular integrated development environment largely for .NET software called Visual Studio. This book is your ultimate resource for .NET Framework. Here you will find the most up-to-date information, analysis, background and everything you need to know. In easy to read chapters, with extensive references and links to get you to know all there is to know about .NET Framework right away, covering: .NET Framework, .NET Framework version history, The .NET Developer's Guide to Windows Security, .NET Messenger Service, .NET Show, Accelerator (Software), ADO.NET, ADO.NET data provider, WCF Data Services, ADO.NET Entity Framework, AForge.NET, Application Domain, Aquiles, ASP.NET MVC Framework, ASP.NET Web Site Administration Tool, .NET assembly, Base Class Library, Bistro Framework, Blittable types, Windows CardSpace, ClickOnce, Code Access Security, COM Interop, Common Intermediate Language, Common Language Infrastructure, Common Language Runtime, Common Type System, .NET Compact Framework, .NET Compact Framework controls, Comparison of ADO and ADO.NET, Comparison of C Sharp and Visual Basic .NET, Comparison of the Java and .NET platforms, Concurrency and Coordination Runtime, Delegate (.NET), Download Cache, Dynamic Language Runtime, Easy Projects .NET, Extensible Application Markup Language, Framework Class Library, Global Assembly Cache, ILAsm, Microsoft codename "Jasper", Jayrock, Language Integrated Query, List of .NET Framework versions, List of CIL instructions, List of CLI languages, Managed code, Managed Extensibility Framework, Manifest (.NET Framework), Maverick.NET, .NET metadata, .NET Micro Framework, Microsoft codename "Acropolis", Microsoft Connected Services Framework, Native Image Generator, ObjectMapper .NET, Parallel Extensions, Plain Old CLR Object, Platform Invocation Services, Portable.NET, PP.NET, Provider model, Puma.NET, .NET Remoting, Shared Source Common Language Infrastructure, Software Factory (Microsoft .NET), SQL CLR, Strong key, Text Template Transformation Toolkit, Web Services Enhancements, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Forms, Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, XAML Browser Applications, XML Literals This book explains in-depth the real drivers and workings of .NET Framework. It reduces the risk of your technology, time and resources investment decisions by enabling you to compare your understanding of .NET Framework with the objectivity of experienced professionals.