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There are several ways to convert and cast values in .NET. For example, DirectCast versus System.Convert and if you are a VB.NET'er, you have the CInt, CBool, Cxxx functions. It is along these lines that I offer this quiz: What are the differences between the following ways to cast an object?

/// Technique #1
object item = GetIt();
Dog dog = (Dog)item;

/// Technique #2
object item = GetIt();
Dog dog = item as Dog;


public object GetIt()
{
    object x = null;
    /// Does something that tries to get an instance of an object
    ...
    ...
    ...
    return x;
}