C# Programming

We just released version 1.1 of Encog for DotNet. This also includes a Workbench that allowed editing of Encog datafiles. This is a major update to the Encog Neural Network and Bot framework. v1.1 adds the Encog workbench, which is a GUI tool that can be used to edit the .EG files that Encog uses to save neural networks and training data. The workbench can be used to construct all neural network types that Encog supports, such as Hopfield, Feedforward, and Self Organizing Maps. Training can also be performed using the workbench.

C# and Java are fairly similar languages. They are similar enough that projects, such as our Encog project, can be converted to C#. Yet they are different enough that this is not always a 100% straight forward process. Additionally, there are several considerations to take into account so that your Java program does not look like a "Java Program converted to C#". C# programs support unique indexing options, properties and many other features that are not available to Java programs. For a true translation, it is important to use these as well.

Version 0.5 of Encog-C# has been released. A Java version is also available. Encog is a framework that includes neural networks, as well as HTTP bots and spiders. Heaton Research has released books on these two very interesting topics. We will soon be updating our Java neural network book, as well as adding a C# neural network book. The books are meant to introduce the topics of bots and neural networks. We are now combining the code from the books into an open source framework so that the code can be extended and moved into more advanced areas than the introductory topics of the books.

I am nearing the final stages of two new books. Introduction to Neural Networks for Java and Introduction to Neural Networks for C#. The Java book is the Second Edition to the original "Introduction to Neural Networks with Java". This is a considerable update to the original text. The covers for the two new books can be seen below. The Java book is expected to be out in September,2008. The C# book by January,2009. More information on these two books will be posted in the coming weeks.