MSDN - Resource Essence for Developers
As a software professional, staying up to date with the latest industry trends and cutting-edge technologies is crucial to us. Almost every major software company in the world provides websites for developers. Today, we’ll be introducing the essence of online resources for developers from the largest software company on this planet — Microsoft.
MSDN stands for Microsoft Developer Network. It’s a series of services provided for developers who use Microsoft technologies and products for software development. It not only contains complete help for development tools and languages such as VB, VC, .NET, Scripts, etc., but also includes almost all technical documentation and code samples for Microsoft platform development, and is constantly updated.
MSDN comes in two forms: an offline subscription version and the MSDN Online website. The subscription version is updated quarterly and distributed on CD-ROM, offering high-speed search. But it’s not cheap. Today we’re introducing the MSDN Online website (pictured). In fact, the content of MSDN Online is more extensive than the subscription version, it’s just slower. So, let’s open IE, type in http://msdn.microsoft.com, and see what’s inside.
MSDN Library (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library)
Just as learning English requires a dictionary, writing code requires a reference manual for programming languages and functions. MSDN Library is exactly that — a complete reference library. Whether you’re using C/C++, VB, or scripting languages, whether you’re writing web, database, or game programs, you can find relevant help and documentation here. Truly an essential tool for coding, at home or on the go…
Code Center (http://msdn.microsoft.com/code/)
Just as learning English requires reading many English articles, software development requires reading high-quality code written by others. As the name suggests, MSDN Code Center contains a variety of sample code and sample applications. When you’re entering a completely new field and need some code examples, look here and I’m sure you’ll find something.
MSDN Magazine (http://msdn.microsoft.com/code/)
Still like learning English requires English learning magazines, writing programs requires a magazine in this field. MSDN Magazine is such a monthly publication — 12 issues a year at $60. Fortunately, Microsoft has been generous enough to offer the magazine in electronic form, allowing us poor students to also enjoy this spiritual feast every month. Here you can read not only the current month’s magazine but also download archives of past issues.
MSDN Columns (http://msdn.microsoft.com/columns)
Just as learning English requires communicating with English experts, we also need to constantly learn from experts in various fields and exchange technical knowledge. MSDN Columns provides a stage for learning from top experts. Here, hundreds of MSDN columnists will share their methods and techniques in their areas of expertise. Visiting here regularly will surely be very rewarding.
Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/)
Strictly speaking, this isn’t part of MSDN, but it’s very useful in practice. The Knowledge Base is a collection of Microsoft technical articles, including product usage tips, technical information, known issues and solutions… When you encounter a problem you can’t solve, search here and I’m sure you’ll find a pleasant surprise.
Others & Closing
MSDN has many other special sections that can’t all be described in detail. Let me list them here, hoping each reader can find what they need and enjoy the wealth of information MSDN brings us.
MSDN Downloads (http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads) Download the latest Microsoft software development kits.
MSDN TV (http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdntv) An online technical talk show, updated monthly, quite like a live interview show.
MSDN Chinese website (http://www.microsoft.com/china/msdn) MSDN’s Simplified Chinese website — a blessing for those not great at English, though the content is significantly reduced.