If you know C you will find C sharp a tad easier than most. For example for loop, switch..case, ifs and most of the basic statements of C are the same in C sharp. Same thing can be said for C++. What I did to learn C sharp was a bit time consuming...worked in a large automotive company for around 3 months and had to learn Visual Basic for applications to code in Microsoft Excel. Recoded a few of their databases from scratch (for those that think Microsoft Excel is just drag and drop buttons :P). It was there where I got the concept of object oriented programming. A couple of weeks after that I was coding in C sharp.

Of course this approach requires a long learning curve and is not required in my opinion. Instead I suggest 'purchasing' a few 'books' like C sharp for dummies and the like (which I vouch for, it will get you started). Scan through the book to get the 'feel' of what C sharp feels like. Read the first couple of chapters or so. Then just feel free to get down and dirty with experimenting with some code. If you're fiddling with the classic 'code-of-MR-X' as you mentioned and dont understand something use the following approach:

1. Google and look through forums and the like. I found these very useful. What I do is write the error in google and voila. The solution will be lying somewhere.

2. Look through PDFs you may have downloaded (again, C sharp for dummies should be your beginner reference)

3. Use Microsoft's MSDN (www.MSDN.com). This is also a very valuable resource while coding. It has code snippets of all sorts. Highly recommended.

4. Youtube, there are a fairly nice amount of tutorial videos on the matter, although I would leave this as 'last resort' so to speak.


Approaches 1, 2 and 3 have worked for me to learn Visual Basic and C sharp to an intermediate level in a few months of intensive coding so to speak. Note that at first you will find C sharp a bit confusing due to new terms such as 'namespace', 'classes', 'objects' and the like....my approach was not to think about what they are. Just use the 'layman's' approach for now, i.e. 'if it works then its good'. As an engineer you will probably think this is some sort of blasphemy...it isn't. You will learn what these are on your own when you will be required to do so (or look for it in C sharp for dummies or a similar book). Baby Steps.

Kai