Introduction
.NET Open Source code is not just some ideal; it is real and useable today. Open Source is useful on many levels. Even if your team or company is not receptive to Open Source, you can still learn from others. Usually, you are not the first one to think of a particular product or idea. Do not misinterpret this; you may have a genuinely unique concept, but often you will find that someone has already thought of it and tried implementing it. If someone has tried out a particular idea, often times they are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience. They can tell you what to watch out for, why they chose a specific implementation, and most importantly, what not to do and what will not work. Learning from others, particularly their mistakes, is probably the one of the strongest arguments for Open Source. Even if you decide not to use an Open Source project, it is still useful to learn by looking at the design and the code. This chapter will demonstrate that integrating several Open Source components can produce a workable product.