[Dev-C++] C#

[Ramana K. <ra...@my...>]

I'm sure we can all feel it's presence.
And i feel it also oozes Microsoft's presence too.

anyway... i know this is the dev-c++ mailing list, and i love dev-c++, but
since you are all supposedly c++ programmers like me, could someone please
explain to me what is c#? I've read a lot of stuff about it tonight on the
internet, so i know a bit about it.
are any of you learning it?
who should learn it?
what's it really for?
is c++ still going to be as widely used?
or am i way off track in asking that?
i know there is a free c# compiler somewhere (haven't looked into that yet
though), as well as obviously the micro$oft visual c#... is bloodshed
considering starting a c# editor/compiler?
does anyone know much about .NET? it seems i might have to get a bit more of
an understanding of .NET because information on c# assumes you know what
.NET is all about.
the whole .NET and c# thing looks great for all the benefits people are
raving about, but the first thing i felt when i saw so many c# books in a
bookstore and not enough c++ ones is a bit of fear that my native language
is being overridden lol - not exactly a legitimate fear, but hey
so anyway, any information on c# would be appreciated
thanks

ramana