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Where can I find the specifications for the various C# languages?

(EDIT: it appears people voted down because you could 'google' this, however, my original intent was to put an answer with information not found on google. I've accepted the answer with the best google results, as they are relevant to people who haven't paid for VS)

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5 Answers

up vote 10 down vote accepted

Microsoft's version (probably what you want)

The formal standardised versions (via ECMA, created just so they could say it was "standardised" by some external body. Even though ECMA "standards" are effectively "Insert cash, vend standard").

Further ECMA standards

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If you have Visual Studio 2005 or 2008, they are already on your machine!

For 2005 (English):

.\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC#\Specifications\1033

For 2008 (English):

.\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC#\Specifications\1033

For 2010 (English):

.\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC#\Specifications\1033

For 2012 (English):

.\Microsoft Visual Studio 11.0\VC#\Specifications\1033
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Thanks for the tip! I didn't know that was there. –  Larry Smithmier Sep 24 '08 at 15:29
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The C# language is an ISO standard and as such the specification can be had from the ISO website at: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=42926

You can also acquire the specifications direct from Microsoft (.Doc Warning) http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/8/8/388e7205-bc10-4226-b2a8-75351c669b09/CSharp%20Language%20Specification.doc (.Doc Warning)

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