While there is a link to C# code at the official site for Head First Design Patterns, the example for a remote proxy is… complicated, and there is actually no remote Gumball machine implementation.

So here’s my Gumball Machine implementation.

First, the Gumballs library DLL, which will be used by both the client and the server. There’s some slight differences between the structure of my code and that of Head First’s, primarily as I implement base methods with my abstract State class instead of using an interface. Note that the Serializable attribute must be applied to each State subclass as well in order for serialization to work.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Runtime.Remoting;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;

namespace Gumballs
{
    #region States
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the State of the Gumball Machine.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public abstract class State
    {
        [NonSerialized]
        protected GumballMachine _gumballMachine; 
        
        /// <summary>
        /// The Gumball Machine reference; used to change the state of the machine.
        /// </summary>
        protected GumballMachine GumballMachine { 
            get { return _gumballMachine; } 
            private set { _gumballMachine = value; }
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// The name of this state.
        /// </summary>
        protected string Name { get; private set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="Gumballs.State"/> class.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name='gumballMachine'>
        /// Gumball machine this state is part of.
        /// </param>
        /// <param name='name'>
        /// Name of this state.
        /// </param>
        protected State (GumballMachine gumballMachine, string name)
        {
            GumballMachine = gumballMachine;
            Name = name;
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// The behavior of the state when a quarter is inserted into the machine.
        /// </summary>
        public abstract void InsertQuarter ();
        /// <summary>
        /// The behavior of the state when a quarter is ejected from the machine.
        /// </summary>
        public abstract void EjectQuarter ();
        /// <summary>
        /// The behavior of the state when the machine's crank is turned.
        /// </summary>
        public abstract void TurnCrank ();
        /// <summary>
        /// The behavior of the state when the machine dispenses a gumball (or not).
        /// </summary>
        public abstract void Dispense ();
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Releases the given number of gumballs, and updates the machine's state 
        /// accordingly.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name='count'>
        /// Number of gumballs to subtract.
        /// </param>
        protected void ReleaseGumballs (int count)
        {            
            for (int i = 1; i <= count; i++) {
                GumballMachine.ReleaseGumball ();
            }
            
            if (GumballMachine.IsEmpty ()) {
                GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.SoldOutState;
            } else {
                GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.NoQuarterState;
            }
        }
        
        public override string ToString ()
        {
            return string.Format ("[State {0}]", Name);
        }
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the state of the gumball machine when there is no quarter.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public sealed class NoQuarterState : State
    {
        public NoQuarterState (GumballMachine gm) : base(gm, "NoQuarter")
        {
        }
        
        #region implemented abstract members of Gumballs.State
        public override void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Accepting quarter");
            GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.HasQuarterState;
        }

        public override void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Cannot eject quarter as there is no quarter");
        }

        public override void TurnCrank ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Can't turn the crank as there is no quarter");
        }

        public override void Dispense ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Can't dispense gumballs because there is no quarter");
        }
        #endregion
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the state of the gumball machine when there is a quarter in the slot.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public sealed class HasQuarterState : State
    {
        private Random _randomizer = new Random ();
        
        public HasQuarterState (GumballMachine gm) : base(gm, "HasQuarter")
        {
        }
        
        #region implemented abstract members of Gumballs.State
        public override void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Can't insert a second quarter");
        }

        public override void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Ejecting quarter");
            GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.NoQuarterState;
        }

        public override void TurnCrank ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Turning the crank");
            
            if (_randomizer.Next (11) == 10) {
                GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.WinnerState;
            } else {
                GumballMachine.State = GumballMachine.SoldState;
            }
            GumballMachine.Dispense ();
        }

        public override void Dispense ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Can't dispense; crank must be turned first");
        }
        #endregion
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the state of the gumball machine when there is a successful sale.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public sealed class SoldState : State
    {
        public SoldState (GumballMachine gm) : base(gm, "Sold")
        {
        }

        #region implemented abstract members of Gumballs.State
        public override void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumball is arriving");
        }

        public override void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumball is arriving");
        }

        public override void TurnCrank ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumball is arriving.");
        }

        public override void Dispense ()
        {
            ReleaseGumballs (1);
        }
        #endregion
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the state of the gumball machine when the successful sale is a winner.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public sealed class WinnerState : State
    {
        public WinnerState (GumballMachine gm) : base(gm, "Winner")
        {
        }

        #region implemented abstract members of Gumballs.State
        public override void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumballs are arriving");
        }

        public override void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumballs are arriving");
        }

        public override void TurnCrank ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Please wait, your gumballs are arriving");
        }

        public override void Dispense ()
        {
            ReleaseGumballs (2);
        }
        #endregion    
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the state of the gumball machine when there are no more gumballs.
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public sealed class SoldOutState : State
    {
        public SoldOutState (GumballMachine gm) : base(gm, "SoldOut")
        {
        }
        
        #region implemented abstract members of Gumballs.State
        public override void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("You cannot insert a quarter, gumballs are sold out");
        }

        public override void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("You weren't allowed to insert a quarter, gumballs are sold out");
        }

        public override void TurnCrank ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("You can't turn the crank, gumballs are sold out");
        }

        public override void Dispense ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Can't dispense, gumballs are sold out");
        }
        #endregion
    }
    
    #endregion
    
    /// <summary>
    /// The Gumball Machine.
    /// </summary>
    public sealed class GumballMachine : MarshalByRefObject, IGumballMachineRemote
    {
        public State NoQuarterState { get; private set; }

        public State HasQuarterState { get; private set; }

        public State SoldState { get; private set; }

        public State WinnerState { get; private set; }

        public State SoldOutState { get; private set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the current number of gumballs in the machine.
        /// </summary>
        public int Count { get; private set; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the current state of the machine.
        /// </summary>
        public State State { 
            get { return _state; }
            internal set { 
                if (_validStates.Contains (value)) {
                    _state = value;
                } else {
                    throw new ArgumentException ("Invalid state instance " + value);
                }
            }
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the location of the machine.
        /// </summary>
        public string Location { get; private set; }
        
        private State _state;
        private List<State> _validStates;
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="Gumballs.GumballMachine"/> class.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name='location'>
        /// Location of the Gumball machine.
        /// </param>
        /// <param name='count'>
        /// Initial number of gumballs in the machine.
        /// </param>
        public GumballMachine (string location, int count)
        {
            Location = location;
            Count = count;
            
            NoQuarterState = new NoQuarterState (this);
            HasQuarterState = new HasQuarterState (this);
            SoldState = new SoldState (this);
            WinnerState = new WinnerState (this);
            SoldOutState = new SoldOutState (this);
            
            _validStates = new List<State> ();
            _validStates.Add (NoQuarterState);
            _validStates.Add (HasQuarterState);
            _validStates.Add (SoldState);
            _validStates.Add (WinnerState);
            _validStates.Add (SoldOutState);
            
            if (Count > 0) {
                State = NoQuarterState;
            } else {
                State = SoldOutState;
            }
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Inserts a quarter.
        /// </summary>
        public void InsertQuarter ()
        {
            State.InsertQuarter ();
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Ejects the quarter.
        /// </summary>
        public void EjectQuarter ()
        {
            State.EjectQuarter ();
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Turns the crank.
        /// </summary>
        public void TurnCrank ()
        {
            State.TurnCrank ();
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Dispenses gumballs (possibly).
        /// </summary>
        public void Dispense ()
        {
            State.Dispense ();
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Refill the machine with the specified count of gumballs.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name='count'>
        /// Count of gumballs to refill with.
        /// </param>
        public void Refill (int count)
        {
            Count += count;
            if (State == SoldOutState) {
                State = NoQuarterState;
            }
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Releases a gumball if it's available.
        /// </summary>
        public void ReleaseGumball ()
        {
            if (Count > 0) {
                Console.WriteLine ("Releasing gumball!");
                Count -= 1;            
            } else {
                Console.WriteLine ("No gumballs to release");
            }
                
        }
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Determines whether this instance is empty.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>
        /// <c>true</c> if this instance is empty; otherwise, <c>false</c>.
        /// </returns>
        public bool IsEmpty ()
        {
            return Count <= 0;
        }
        
        public override string ToString ()
        {
            return string.Format (
                "[GumballMachine: State={0} Count={1} Location={2}]",
                State,
                Count,
                Location
            );
        }

        #region IGumballMachineRemote implementation
        public int GetCount ()
        {
            return Count;
        }

        public string GetLocation ()
        {
            return Location;
        }

        public State GetState ()
        {
            return State;
        }
        #endregion
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Gumball machine monitor.
    /// </summary>
    public sealed class GumballMachineMonitor
    {
        private IGumballMachineRemote _gumballMachine;
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="Gumballs.GumballMachineMonitor"/> class.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name='gumballMachine'>
        /// Remote gumball machine.
        /// </param>
        public GumballMachineMonitor (IGumballMachineRemote gumballMachine)
        {
            _gumballMachine = gumballMachine;
        }
        
        public void Report ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine ("Gumball machine: {0}", _gumballMachine.GetLocation ());
            Console.WriteLine (
                "Current inventory: {0} gumballs",
                _gumballMachine.GetCount()
            );
            Console.WriteLine ("Current state: {0}", _gumballMachine.GetState ());
        }
    }
    
    #region Remoting
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Remote exception.
    /// </summary>
    public class RemoteException : Exception
    {
        public RemoteException (string message, Exception cause) : base(message, cause) {}

        public RemoteException (string message) : base(message) {}
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Proxy for a remote gumball machine.
    /// </summary>
    public interface IGumballMachineRemote
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the count of gumballs.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>
        /// The count of gumballs.
        /// </returns>
        int GetCount ();

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the location of the machine.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>
        /// The location.
        /// </returns>
        string GetLocation ();

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the state of the machine.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>
        /// The state.
        /// </returns>
        State GetState ();
    }
    
    #endregion
}

Next, the server. Note that we’re using RemotingServices.Marshall to share the actual object created on the heap. This tip I got from Stack Overflow; I didn’t go the extra step with implementing InitializeLifetimeService because this is a really, really short-term project.

using System;
using System.Runtime.Remoting;
using System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels;
using System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Http;

namespace Gumballs
{
    class MainClass
    {
        public static void Main (string[] args)
        {
            int count = 0;
            string location = "";
            
            if (args.Length != 2) {
                Console.WriteLine ("Gumballs <location> <inventory>");
                Environment.Exit (1);
            }
            
            location = args [0];
            count = int.Parse (args [1]);
            
            GumballMachine gumballMachine = new GumballMachine (location, count);
            
            Console.WriteLine ("Starting Gumball server...");

            try {
                HttpChannel channel = new HttpChannel (9998);
                ChannelServices.RegisterChannel (channel, false);
                RemotingServices.Marshal (gumballMachine, "GumballMachine");
                                
                Console.WriteLine ("Press Enter to quit\n\n");
                Console.ReadLine ();
            } catch (Exception e) {
                throw new RemoteException (e.Message, e);
            }
        }
    }
}

And now the client, where the monitor runs.

using System;
using System.Runtime.Remoting;
using System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels;
using System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Http;
using Gumballs;

namespace RemoteGumballs
{
    class MainClass
    {
        public static void Main (string[] args)
        {
            try {
                HttpChannel channel = new HttpChannel ();
                ChannelServices.RegisterChannel (channel, false);
            
                IGumballMachineRemote gumballMachineRemote = 
                (IGumballMachineRemote)Activator.GetObject (
                    typeof(IGumballMachineRemote), "http://localhost:9998/GumballMachine");
            
                GumballMachineMonitor monitor = new GumballMachineMonitor (gumballMachineRemote);
                monitor.Report ();
            } catch (Exception e) {
                throw new RemoteException (e.Message, e);
            }
        }
    }
}

I’m using Mono, so it’s all as simple as this:

[Mon May 21, 9:36PM]-(s002)-{~/Projects/CSharp/Gumballs/Gumballs/bin/Debug}
brandywine% mono Gumballs.exe seattle 109
Starting Gumball server...
Press Enter to quit

and this

[Mon May 21, 9:38PM]-(s001)-{..ects/CSharp/Gumballs/RemoteGumballs/bin/Debug}
brandywine% mono RemoteGumballs.exe
Gumball machine: seattle
Current inventory: 109 gumballs
Current state: [State NoQuarter]