This book answers the question, Do you need to learn C# or VB .NET to develop in .NET? You'll learn that the answer is in fact no, at least until you're good and ready. With Managed C++, your hard-earned skills as an established C++ developer or beginner wont be wasted. Microsoft touts that .NET is language neutral and this book proves it, at least in the area of C++. "Managed C++ and .NET Development" is truly a .NET book applying C++ as its development languagenot another C++ syntax book that happens to cover .NET. There's no other book out there like this one. It's written for the C++ programmer who wants to write new .NET programs and not just migrate existing ones. To this end, author Stephen R.G. Fraser covers topics such as collections, multithreading, I/O, XML, ADO.NET, GDI+, Windows Forms (using the new GUI design tool introduced in VS .NET 2003), Web services, and Web Forms, focusing strictly on new code development.