In the .NET Framework expertise track, the learning curve is huge and always complex because of the simplicity of the marketing effect… Nothing is easy even .NET Framework. In July 2001, Microsoft shipped .NET Framework BETA 2. In 2012, the technology is fully open in most of its fundamentals. .NET Framework 2.0 is the NET Core subsystem because it contains the layers where WCP, WPF and WF were built on. Master .NET 2.0 and you will be confident for upper versions.

Steps to achieve to master the technology and understand the whole stack (compiler, metadata, JIT, CLR and Garbage collection):

- rebuild and study .NET Framework 1.0 and .NET Common Language Runtime (Shared Source CLI 1.0) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14124

- rebuild and study .NET Framework 2.0 and .NET Common Language Runtime (Shared Source CLI 2.0) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=4917 – SSCLI 2.0 introduces the .NET foundations.

- rebuild and study the Microsoft Research CCI program
Common Compiler Infrastructure – Metadata
Common Compiler Infrastructure – Code and AST components
Common Compiler Infrastructure – Sample applications

- download and learn about Microsoft Research Phoenix Compiler Infrastructure http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/collaboration/focus/cs/phoenix.aspx

These technology is currently a private and hot topic billion dollar technology. Shipped internally in VS11 as Microsoft Infrastructure Compiler assembly, it is the foundation of the new << Windows >> Compiler. Phoenix should be open and modular. Study GCC, CLang and LLVM, you’ll be in touch

- the little magic software that enables to rebuild everything is located under Windows SDK for Windows 7 and NET Framework 4. It contains all the necessary tools for free… http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8442

- If the command line compiler seems to fuzzy (a nightmare), just get a Visual C++ Edition (even an Express Edition could be ok).

Software development is not marketing. Learn. Study. Train. Build. Ship. All of this is not magical.