Best .NET Framework 2.0 book for C#, Libraries?

Question

I am an senior-slash-"advanced" C#/.NET developer, currently using 3.5 Framework with WPF/WCF and Silverlight (WPF/E). I have come up right through 1.0 and 2.0 and so am well versed with the evolution of .NET. My next project could be "back" into 2.0 Framework, but with enough complexity (and time pressure) so as to call on "expert" skills, not just "advanced" ones.

Thus I am looking for a book with comprehensive coverage of the 2.0 Framework, primarily the organization and use of the libraries (by which, yes, I really just mean "the Framework"...) available in that rev. I want to have a complete, organized reference on hand for what tools are available in the box, so to speak, to choose the right ones at each step and not re-invent any wheels.

I own and love "CLR via C#", but this isn't a question about the CLR, it's about libraries (Framwork) primarily, and also interfacing techniques to .NET-supported related products.

If I "subtract out" my existing 3.0/3.5 knowledge/experience, I might say that I've only ever thoroughly investigated and used some 50-75% of the 2.0 Framework - so what I'd like to see is an authoritative guide to the full 100%. Doesn't need rigorous details or comprehensive examples, but rather a full assessment of scale and scope to be able to design and implement effective solutions in .net 2.0 "the right way".

Answer 1

It sounds like you have a good grasp on C# itself, so you probably want to know what was in 2.0 that isn't in 3.0 or 3.5. For this reason, you might be interested in some of the following resources, namely the C# 2.0 standard:

• ECMA C# 2.0 Standard
• C# 2.0 - The Complete Reference
• Any of the C# books by Apress

I particularly like the C# 2.0 Complete Reference book, and keep a copy on my desk at home, but the C# 2.0 standard is incomparably good as well; it's just a question of whether you can stay awake long enough to get through any of it. :)

Answer 2

For WinForms programming, the book that has proved itself most useful to me is Windows Forms 2.0 Programming. If there isn't a single book that has everything you're looking for, I think this book would be part of the collection comprising the next best thing.

Answer 3

C# 3.0 in a Nutshell covers parts of the framework in sufficient detail. I find it to be a very useful book to have around.

Programming Microsoft Visual C# 2005: The Base Class Library specifically covers the framework, but in my opinion the Nutshell book is better and you can always find additional information on MSDN.

Windows Forms Programming in C# covers WinForms in detail, or you may want to look at Chris Sells' book on WPF instead. I'm not familiar with the latter, but the first is okay.