Hi
I dont want to start the debate over C# vs VB or DNNC# vs DNNVB. 

I recognize there are a lot of people out there who have requested a C# version purely because they are more comfortable in C#.  Whichever language DNN was coded in the other group would have requested their version.  Some people know both some dont.  I personally think that to most people the language of DNN is not relevant but there are some to whom it is.

I am proposing and volunteering to convert DNN to C# - though preferably not alone!

To give you an idea of my background - I have been in IT for 27years (yes they did have computers back in the 70's just not like this!).  I own a small international IT company.  I have extensive .NET experience (from the beta1 days of the first .net) and C++ VB4/5/6 (and i wont mention algol, fortran, cobol, pascal, assembly etc).  I have also converted over 200 applications from various MS languages (VB5/6 to VB.NET, VB5/6/.NET to C#, ASP to .NET, .NEt1 to .NET2).  These have been both small apps and mission critical banking/supply chain etc and in windows forms and asp.net.  That wasnt some ego trip for me, just to let you know some background :)

There are a number of conversion tools out there as you are aware, but none of them do the job correctly especially for something major like DNN.  I have tried using them on large mission critical apps before, but although the conversion goes well, the checking and corrections take as long as a manual conversion.  Like other applications DNN cannot afford for a single line to not convert correctly.  Therefore each line has to be checked.  It is easier to miss a mistake when checking a line than when typing it (especially with intellitext etc to help you when typing).  So all in all we have a far higher sucess rate within an allocated timeslot using a manual conversion.  The key is having people who are familiar with both languages.  DNN needs a 100% success rate in conversion and I propose we do it manually.

Of course that takes time and coordination and willing volunteers in this case.  I am offering my services and time.  I am not on any ego trip and will happily work alongside anyone who wishes to help.  I will do anything from coordination, coding, through to making coffee and buying pizza if necessary!  My primary goal is to have a successfull DNN conversion.  I am willing to commit a lot of my time to this if given the go ahead by the core team.  I guess i could have just gone ahead with it and come back to you with a C# version either for free or charged but that isnt what DNN and the community is about.  I would like this to be part of the DNN project just as the other projects are.  I dont want anything for my services except the willing volunteers to help us (oh and maybe one of those snazzy little icons next to my name in the forums hahaha!)

This is a mamoth task and cannot be rushed into.  I propose that we concentrate on the end users first.  So convert the website and starter kit to C# for their use.  Then we work on the libraries etc. 

There are some things to consider.  Continuing support for dual versions has some overheads.  I have run dual versions before and there are advantages aswell as disadvantages.  As long as each project is organized there is little disadvantage.  Most of the problems are solved in the design stage irrespective of language.  It just needs a slightly large project team to code in both languages once a solution is found.  With code generating tools this is easier too.  It has advantages where problems can be overcome quicker as there are two sets of coders with different experiences.

The other aspect is which version to convert from/to?  I propose a straight DNN4 to DNN4C#, nothing more than port the code over.  It gives us a C# version with no problems by introducing new functionality.  At the same time we could have people working alongside a DNN5 version (which i assume is in the pipeline) which would be a VB and C# ASP.NET2 version using the new features of .NET2.

Finally a name.  DotNetNuke is well known and well established brand.  However it is known to be VB.  There would be a need to differentiate it.  I would propose just a change in the download section and then any hosting companies can do their own thing (whether they want to run one or both and they can say which version they have).  This keeps the DotNetNuke brand together and only the people getting into the nuts and bolts of it need to know the version and that is in the download area.

So in short - I am voluteering to help convert DNN to C#.  I would like to do this under the DNN community as a community project with the core teams blessing/help.  I dont mind what role i play, it is up to the team and i will give all i can.  I would ask others to volunteer if the project goes ahead.  Especially dual language developers.

I would ask people reading this to not turn it into an argument or discussion on whether it is necessary or not.  I would suggest volunteers hold off until it becomes an official project (if it does become one) as this forum could get swamped quickly with C# posts.

Hopefully one (or more) of the core team will come back to us (or directly to me if they want) with their thoughts.

Thanks
Mark

Nik
Sorry if it has or will cause problems.  It wasnt my intention.  I guess i sort of misread some of the other posts in this and the asp.net forums and thought it was a no go on the grounds of it couldnt be automated so was volunteering.  So again my apologies.

As for the contribution i had already considered this and am happy to join (I was just holding off to see what was said about the conversion).

As a member of the core team you will have a better idea which project(s) has the more pressing need at present (I notice a couple have no team members/leads - but there might also be projects that have members but are still in need of more and are a higher priority).  So please point me at one (or more) of them and i will roll up my sleeves, get the pizza and coffee in and volunteer. :)

Thanks
Mark