Is C# Better than Java?

Ways it's better:

1. Default argument values for methods - Java doesn't have them, which means you always have to "fake it" by creating numerous overloads to achieve the same effect.
2. Support for unsigned integer types - Java doesn't have them, which means you have to play games with signed values of different sizes to achieve the same effect.
3. Support for multiple languages in .NET. In C#, you can create and interact with objects defined in other programming languages. There is already support for several built in, like VB and C++, and others freely available, like Python.
4. Lambdas. Java says "Wuh?". Actually, lambdas are a lot like Java anonymous inner classes, except they implement a delegate instead of a class or interface. The same semantics apply WRT closures and scope.
5. Documentation is excellent in MSDN for C# and all aspects of .NET. There is developer reference as well as programming guides. The primary source of (vendor-supplied) documentation for Java is the Javadoc, which really is just an API reference; if I need guidance, I usually need to google it.
6. Anonymous methods. Java ain't got 'em.
7. 
   

Shortcomings:

1. Visual Studio is quite expensive for the average coder for the Professional edition or above, and the free "Express" edition sucks in comparison. Java development in Eclipse provides a free, full-featured IDE.

Similarities:

1. Static constructors == Java static blocks
2. You can specify a multi-level namespace in a single statement (instead of multiple namespace statements). This is basically the same as Java's package declaration.

Differences:

1. A static class in C# == final Java class with only static members and private constructor
2. Anonymous types are not Java anonymous classes. C# anonymous types are anonymous objects with no defined type at all. Java anonymous classes are subclasses of existing classes or interfaces that are assigned to a variable of that type.