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I expect an alternate to be creative, i.e. to offer another concept, another view on things, and not the same idea implemented in a different language.
If you consider different languages alternates, then most every T&T could get alternates added to it, to do the same thing in different languages (C#, C++, VB, Java, PHP, Perl, etc.) and real alternates would be hard to find.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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What if the tip/trick is mainly about syntax tricks to accomplish something in a clever way? And what would you do with a tip/trick that you wanted to show in different langauges? Would you include 5 languages in the same tip/trick, or would you include alternates? What about a tip/trick called "The Nuances of Templates/Generics in C#/VB.NET/C++"? For the record, I don't think it would become much of a problem for people to find "real" alternates if the same tip/trick is written in a different language. Especially since I doubt many people will take things beyond VB.NET and C# (e.g., C++, Java, and so on).
Something else I'm considering is splitting the tip/trick up according to language, rather than including the code snippets inline. So, it would be one tip/trick, but it would be replicated within itself with a header for each language. Then I can provide a link between each language version. For example:
This will be the C# article text, very similar to the VB.NET article text.
This will be the VB.NET article text, very similar to the C# article text.
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that is a lot of questions.
If you have a common idea and several implementations, then yes, I would prefer to explain the idea first then offer implementations; or, alternatively, when explaining without implementation is hard to do, explain it once in a given implementation, then append alternatives to the initial document (hence not as alternates). The latter will not really be appreciated by people not familiar with your primary language though.
The alternative is to write more than one T&T, give them similar titles (which do mention the implementation language), and add a note making them link to each other. The disadvantage is they will get diverging alternates, comments, replies, etc.
However, there is another, and IMO bigger issue. I expect tip/tricks to be simple and concise (no more than two screenfuls), so maybe what you really should do is write an article. More than two languages would require an article for sure. Nuances, I wouldn't put them in a T&T.
And then, assuming an article with only two languages involved, I prefer to show the implementations side-by-side, that is what I do sometimes on my site (e.g. here[^]).
BTW: I don't fully agree with your language comment; I could very well imagine an algorithmic T&T implemented both in C# and Java, when the standard classes, not the language syntax, force you to take a slightly different approach. I know, the audience might be limited.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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Luc Pattyn wrote: I don't fully agree with your language comment; I could very well imagine an algorithmic T&T implemented both in C# and Java, when the standard classes, not the language syntax, force you to take a slightly different approach.
Do you mean this comment?:
AspDotNetDev wrote: Especially since I doubt many people will take things beyond VB.NET and C# (e.g., C++, Java, and so on).
Just to be clear, I mean that I don't see people writing a bunch of alternates for languages other than C# and VB.NET when the primary tip/trick and alternate are VB.NET and C#. Supposing somebody did decide to write a Java version, it may very well differ wildly from the C#/VB.NET version, which is another reason I would confine that to an alternate rather than clutter up the main text to explain both implementations when a reader only wants to know about one language.
FYI, I created a suggestion to recommend CP make a way to create alternate views for a tip/trick (e.g., different languages) in addition to the existing "alternates" that currently exist.
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AspDotNetDev wrote: I don't see people writing a bunch of alternates for languages other than C# and VB.NET when the primary tip/trick and alternate are VB.NET and C#
Not if the TT is language oriented; however what if the TT is algorithmic, then any language could fit.
AspDotNetDev wrote: FYI, I created a suggestion
I did notice, and managed not to react to it... 
However, if CP staff decides to put in some effort to accomodate you, I'd much rather see them spend the effort to the articles subsystem than the TT subsystem. As I said, in my view TTs ought to be short and simple.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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I'm with Luc on this one.
Put both versions in the Tip/Trick. Make it an article.
Henry Minute
Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain
Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?"
“I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
I wouldn't let CG touch my Abacus!
When you're wrestling a gorilla, you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is.
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Almost a repost. 
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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I looked at your example article and really liked the way you showed both C# and VB, plus allowing the reader to collapse either the C# or VB code is a GREAT idea. I'm new to VB.net and have never used any language like C#, so reading something where all the code is only in C# I have found does not help me at all. Your approach works very well. Thank you for presenting it here.
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![Rose | [Rose]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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I see that already or the "alternate" is a link to someone else' work. Are there guidelines or rules of thumb posted here?
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Thank you sir, much appreciated.
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I'm with Luc on this one.
Put both versions in the Tip/Trick.
Henry Minute
Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain
Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?"
“I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
I wouldn't let CG touch my Abacus!
When you're wrestling a gorilla, you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is.
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very good.
alternatively: muy buen.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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As 'muy buen' is the same sentence but in a different language you should post it with the original sentence, rather than as an alternative 
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I often include a kind of checksum in my communications; and you just confirmed I got the message across alright. Thanks.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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I suspected as much, but I couldn't resist,
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excel(l)ent(e)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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If it's just a matter of code translation, it goes into the original tip/trick. I think I have one or two like that.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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Sometimes there are slight variations. For example, VB.NET has a "select case" statement that works slightly different than the C# "switch" statement, so the tip/trick that made use of that had to show differing techniques between each language. It probably seemed a bit long-winded to somebody only interested in one language, so I split it into a tip/trick and an alternate.
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Speaking as a user/recipient, not a poster:
here's another vote for posting both C# and VB.NET.
(If you posted the Java, too, I'd read it out of curiosity... never done Java (don't drink coffee, either  and that would be an easy / interesting way to be introduced to some.)
Thanks,
-- Doug
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A few weeks ago I went to the IE9 release party, which was pretty awesome. Now Google had a free ice cream day at my favorite local ice cream shop yesterday. Instead of feeling great now, I just feel conflicted. 
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That's just like going to the grocery store on free sample day. Here, it is Saturday at Sam's Club. Let all those vendors feed you all their free food and you walk out happy and content without feeling like you have to be loyal to any one!
I have nothing more to say.
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Sam's Club is my favorite restaurant! Not much on ambience, but the selection is excellent, and they have a nice assortment of wines.
Will Rogers never met me.
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