Why can't List = List?

Question

Why won\'t the following code work?

class parent {}
class kid:parent {}

List parents=new List;

It seems obvious t

Answer 1

C# does not currently support covariance.

It's coming in .NET 4.0, however, on interfaces and delegates.

Eric Lippert had a very nice series on this subject on his blog awhile back. Visual Studio Magazine covers it too in a recent article.