If it walks like a class, talks like a class, it probably is a class

I occasionally come across attempts to extend Enums to include additional fields.  These attempts typically use Attributes and reflection to get at the extra values.  I have to say I don't like them.  The most extreme example of trying to get an Enum to do something else was this article on Code Project attempting to create a new type of enum: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/EnumBuilder.aspx. Eugh!

Why do folks get so obsessed with trying to make enums do things that classes do better?

• As soon as you hit a limitation that an Enum can't handle your best bet is to create a class.
• Need inheritance => use classes
• Need more than one value on the object => use a class
• Need more control over ToString() => use a class
• Need to be able to localize the string value => use a class
• ...
• Might need to do any of these in the future => use a class
• If in doubt => use a class

If you do this your code will be

1. more readable: you can say "x is Duck" instead of "x == Animal.Duck"
2. more maintainable
3. more extensible
4. more object oriented (less switch statements and branching code)
5. easier to localize (if you use the Enum's name in the UI which isn't a good practice anyway)
6. almost certainly more efficient than using enums and reflection