Pro WPF in C# 2010: Windows Presentation Foundation in .NET 4

1.1. The Evolution of Windows Graphics

It's hard to appreciate how dramatic WPF is without realizing that Windows developers have been using essentially the same display technology for more than 15 years. A standard Windows application relies on two well-worn parts of the Windows operating system to create its user interface:

• User32. This provides the familiar Windows look and feel for elements such as windows, buttons, text boxes, and so on.

• GDI/GDI+. This provides drawing support for rendering shapes, text, and images at the cost of additional complexity (and often lackluster performance).

Over the years, both technologies have been refined, and the APIs that developers use to interact with them have changed dramatically. But whether you're ...