title: Easiest Way To Get Started In Dot Net
body: <p>Ok, so the initial search in StackOverflow shows nothing related for this question.  So here it goes:</p>
  
  <p>Let's pretend for a moment that you're just getting started in a career in computer programming.  Let's say that, for whatever reason, you decide to use the .Net framework as a basis for your programming.  Let's also say that you've been exposed to some programming background, but not one in .Net, so it seems foreign to you at first.  And lastly, you don't have the benefit of 25 years of exposure to the Win32 API, which explains why it seems so foreign to you when you start looking at it.</p>
  
  <p>So the questions are:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>What is a comprehensive overview of what .Net is?  It appears to be a combination of a runtime environment, a set of languages, a common set of libraries, and perhaps a few other things...so it's about as clear as mud.  Specifically, what are the key components to .Net?</li>
  <li>What is the easiest way to understand .Net programming with regard to available APIs?</li>
  <li>Which language would best suit beginning programming out of the "stock" languages that Microsoft has to offer? (C++, C#, VB, etc.)</li>
  <li>What are some differences between .Net programming and programming in a procedural language (aka Pascal, Modula, etc.)</li>
  <li>What are some differences between .Net programming and programming in a "traditional" object-oriented language? (aka Smalltalk, Java, Python, Ruby, etc.)</li>
  <li>As I currently understand it, the CLR provides a foundation for all of the other languages to run on.  What are some of the inherent limitations of the CLR?</li>
  <li>Given the enormous amount of API to cover, would it even be worth learning a .Net language (using the Microsoft APIs) given that you would not have prior exposure to Win32 programming?</li>
  <li>Let's say you write a for-profit program with .Net.  Can you resell the program without running afoul of licensing issues?</li>
  <li>Let's say you write a gratis (free) program with .Net.  Can you offer the program to the public under a "free" license (GPL, BSD, Artistic, etc.) without running afoul of licensing issues?</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Thank you in advance for your patience.</p>