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POShould "Dispose" only be used for types containing unmanaged resources?
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  1. POShould "Dispose" only be used for types containing unmanaged resources?
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    copied!<p>I was having a discussion with a colleague recently about the value of <code>Dispose</code> and types that implement <code>IDisposable</code>.</p> <p>I think there is value in implementing <code>IDisposable</code> for types that should clean up as soon as possible, <strong>even if there are no unmanaged resources to clean up</strong>.</p> <p>My colleague thinks differently; implementing <code>IDisposable</code> if you don't have any unmanaged resources isn't necessary as your type will eventually be garbage collected.</p> <p>My argument was that if you had an ADO.NET connection that you wanted to close as soon as possible, then implementing <code>IDisposable</code> and <code>using new MyThingWithAConnection()</code> would make sense. My colleage replied that, under the covers, an ADO.NET connection is a <strong>unmanaged resource</strong>. My reply to his reply was that <strong>everything ultimately is an unmanaged resource</strong>.</p> <p>I am aware of the <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/b1yfkh5e%28v=vs.71%29.aspx">recommended disposable pattern</a> where you <strong>free managed and unmanaged resources if <code>Dispose</code> is called</strong> but <strong>only free unmanaged resources if called via the finalizer/destructor</strong> (and blogged a while ago about how to <a href="http://stevedunns.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/idisposable-alerts.html">alert consumers of improper use of your IDisposable types</a>)</p> <p>So, my question is, if you've got a type that doesn't contain unmanaged resources, is it worth implementing <code>IDisposable</code>?</p>
 

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