Best resources for a Java developer working on .NET solutions

Question

My company has acquired several companies lately. We are a Java shop but have both VB .NET and C# .NET code bases now. I am about to start supporting these systems and am having trouble find good resources for finding the parallels/differences in .NET and Java. I have seen a few books but cannot decide which to buy, they all seem basically the same. It would be nice if anyone knows of resources that are online instead of having the information buried in a 700 page black and white book.

Specifically, I would like to find some resources that compare the macro and micro level differences. Including things like "what is the .NET equivalent of HashMap, ArrayList and Queue", and "How do I interact with a database" or "What are the differences between ASPs and JSPs".

I am really looking for some opinions about which resources are the best from people who have been in a similar situation (Java developer to .NET).

Thanks.

Answer 1

Not to be flippant but this Google query returned many good results. I have used many of these articles to help me (as a C# guy) dabble in Java.

Answer 2

Read this, most importantly the Programming Guide, and bookmark the Reference.

I'm from a Java background and recently started using C# and found the MSDN very helpful. The auto-complete search field often found me the reference page I was looking for.

Force yourself to learn LINQ. It's beautiful once it clicks.

Answer 3

MSDN. Seriously, MSDN is quite possibly the best-technical level documentation there is for the nuts and bolts of the C# libraries. Alternately, if you want a more exhaustive treatment, something like "CLR via C#" by Jeffrey Richter really gives you a good feel for what the CLR is capable of.