1. Jim Fawcett CSE775 – Distributed Objects Spring 2006
Where Do We Go From Here?
Jim Fawcett
CSE775 – Distributed Objects
Spring 2006

2. What’s Missing from Our COM Coverage?
Monikers and Structured Storage
Discussed by Eddon and Eddon with simple code examples.
Monikers associate an object with a document.
Structured Storage creates compound documents
Used together to support object linking and embedding (OLE)
Programming Microsoft Tools using Automation interfaces
Word
Excel
Visio
Visual Studio
Internet Explorer:
discussed briefly, but there is much more. See: Programming Internet Explorer 5, Scott Roberts, Microsoft Press, 1999

3. Back to Basics
Understanding ActiveX and OLE, David Chappell, Microsoft Press, 1996 (out of print but still available from Amazon)
Very clear and remarkably simple presentation of the COM technology
Understanding .Net, David Chappell, Addison-Wesley, 2002
Very clear and simple presentation of the .Net technologies

4. COM in Depth
ATL Internals, 2nd edition, by Chris Sells, Kirk Fertitta and Brent Rector, Addison-Wesley, 2006
This is the best there is on ATL 8.0
Essential IDL, Martin Gudgin, Addison Wesley, 2001
One of only two books I know of devoted to Interface Definition Language (IDL). It is an excellent book, clearly written and containing virtually everything you might ever need to understand about IDL.
.Net and COM, Complete Interoperability Guide, Adam Nathan, SAMS, 2002
Extraordinarily detailed
Also contains two examples:
.Net Arcade game using DirectX
.Net Visualizations for Windows Media Player
.Net and COM Interoperability Handbook, Alan Gordon, Prentice-Hall, 2003
A somewhat gentler discussion of iteroperability with good discussions of CLR topics.
COM and .Net Component Services, Juval Lowy, O’Reilly, 2001
Focus on COM+, has very clear discussion, and some examples.

5. COM in Depth
Inside Distributed COM, Guy Eddon and Henry Eddon, Microsoft Press, 1998
This is an excellent book for developers new to COM. It has, by far, the best collection of example code, sensibly organized and accessible, of any other COM oriented text I've read. We used the book for two years for CSE775 - Distributed Objects.
COM Programming with Microsoft .Net, Templeman and Mueller, Microsoft Press, 2003
This is the first book I have seen that discusses, in any detail, ATL 7.0 Attributed Programming. I expect to use this text frequently.
Excellent discussions of COM/.NET interop.
The COM and COM+ Primer, Alan Gordon, Prentice Hall, 2000
We used this book this year for CSE775 - Distributed Objects. It is a very well written book that walks you through the process of implementing and building COM components in a very clear manner. The material on COM+ is also relevant for .Net. No discussion of ActiveX controls.

6. .NET Programming Microsoft .Net, Jeff Prosise, Microsoft Press, 2002
A beautiful introduction - gracefully written, with an excellent choice of topics and depth. We used Parts I and some of Part III for CSE681, this past Fall. We will use Parts II and some of Part III for CSE691, this summer. Covers C#, WinForms, XML, Threads, Remoting, and ASP/ADO.
Programming .NET Components, Juval Lowy, O’Reilly, 2003
Focus on component-based system architecture and component details.
Very clear discussion and some examples.
Highly recommended.

7. .NET
Essential .Net, Volume I: the Common Language Runtime, Don Box with Chris Sells, Addison-Wesley, 2003
A very worthwhile look at what goes on inside the CLR and Common Type System.
Advanced .Net Remoting, Ingo Rammer, APress, 2002
A readable and useful book on .Net Remoting. I have based most of my work on material in this text. Discusses programming with components in the remoting chain to intercept, react, and possibly modify messages before they are received.

8. Is it Worthwhile to Study COM Further?
Remember that the following are composed of COM objects:
Windows kernel
Windows Shell
.Net CLR
Internet Explorer
Services used in IIS
Microsoft Media Player
Microsoft Word and Excel
DirectX
Visio
WPF
Many, many third party applications and tools
Right now, it’s likely that you will work professionally with COM.

9. Is it Worthwhile to Study .Net Further?
We’ve seen the future and it is ….
C++/CLI and C# with the .Net Framework are the best language/library/runtime combination available.
Usability is excellent for beginners as well as experts
Intellisense and object browser are terrific tools
Best integrated over the desktop and server platforms
Becoming available on non-Wintel platforms
Mono, GNUdotNet
C++ is the system programming language for the foreseeable future.
Standards work, focused on the library, may provide more platform tools like threading, directory support, and smart pointers.
Java and J2EE have a large installed base but …
My personal opinion is that Sun no longer has the financial muscle to vigorously support the Java infrastructure.
They have continually refused to surrender any control over the language and packages to a standards body.

10. End of Presentation