Building a Simple Messenger

Abstract

The last chapter conducted a whirlwind tour of Remoting, .NET’s object-based model for communication between applications and across a network. Remoting is a surprisingly flexible technology. By default, it’s tailored for traditional enterprise computing, in which all the work is performed by a central group of powerful server computers. But with a little more effort, you can use Remoting as the basis for a peer-to-peer system that uses brokered communication. In this chapter, we’ll explore one such example with an instant-messaging application that relies on a central coordinator. Along the way, you’ll learn the advantages and drawbacks involved with using Remoting in a peer-to-peer project.