Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions

Public Class Person : Implements IEquatable(Of Person)
   Private uniqueSsn As String
   Private lName As String

   Public Sub New(lastName As String, ssn As String)
      Me.SSN = ssn
      Me.LastName = lastName
   End Sub

   Public Property SSN As String
      Set
         If Regex.IsMatch(value, "\d{9}") Then
            uniqueSsn = String.Format("{0}-(1}-{2}", value.Substring(0, 3), _
                                                     value.Substring(3, 2), _
                                                     value.Substring(5, 3))
         ElseIf Regex.IsMatch(value, "\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{3}") Then
            uniqueSsn = value
         Else 
            Throw New FormatException("The social security number has an invalid format.")
         End If
      End Set
      Get
         Return Me.uniqueSsn
      End Get      
   End Property

   Public Property LastName As String
      Get
         Return Me.lName
      End Get
      Set
         If String.IsNullOrEmpty(value) Then
            Throw New NullReferenceException("The last name cannot be null or empty.")
         Else
            lname = value
         End If   
      End Set
   End Property

   Public Overloads Function Equals(other As Person) As Boolean _
                   Implements IEquatable(Of Person).Equals
      If Me.uniqueSsn = other.SSN Then
         Return True
      Else
         Return False
      End If
   End Function

   Public Overrides Function Equals(obj As Object) As Boolean
      If obj Is Nothing Then Return MyBase.Equals(obj)

      If Not TypeOf obj Is Person
         Throw New InvalidCastException("The 'obj' argument is not a Person object.")
      Else
         Return Equals(DirectCast(obj, Person))   
      End If
   End Function   

   Public Overrides Function GetHashCode() As Integer
      Return Me.SSN.GetHashCode()
   End Function

   Public Shared Operator = (person1 As Person, person2 As Person) As Boolean
      Return person1.Equals(person2)
   End Operator

   Public Shared Operator <> (person1 As Person, person2 As Person) As Boolean
      Return Not person1.Equals(person2)
   End Operator
End Class

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;

public class Person : IEquatable<Person>
{
   private string uniqueSsn;
   private string lName;

   public Person(string lastName, string ssn)
   {
      this.SSN = ssn;
      this.LastName = lastName;
   }

   public string SSN
   {
      get { return this.uniqueSsn; } 
      set {
         if (Regex.IsMatch(value, @"\d{9}"))
            uniqueSsn = String.Format("{1}-(2}-{3}", value.Substring(0, 3), 
                                                     value.Substring(3, 2), 
                                                     value.Substring(5, 3));
         else if (Regex.IsMatch(value, @"\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{3}"))
            uniqueSsn = value;
         else 
            throw new FormatException("The social security number has an invalid format.");
      }
   }

   public string LastName
   {
      get { return this.lName; }
      set {
         if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
            throw new NullReferenceException("The last name cannot be null or empty.");
         else
            lName = value;
      }
   }

   public bool Equals(Person other) 
   {
      if (this.uniqueSsn == other.SSN)
         return true;
      else
         return false;
   }

   public override bool Equals(Object obj)
   {
      if (obj == null) return base.Equals(obj);

      if (! (obj is Person))
         throw new InvalidCastException("The 'obj' argument is not a Person object.");
      else
         return Equals(obj as Person);   
   }

   public override int GetHashCode()
   {
      return this.SSN.GetHashCode();
   }

   public static bool operator ==(Person person1, Person person2)
   {
      return person1.Equals(person2);
   }

   public static bool operator !=(Person person1, Person person2)
   {
      return (! person1.Equals(person2));
   }
}

Module TestIEquatable
   Public Sub Main()
      ' Create a Person object for each job applicant.
      Dim applicant1 As New Person("Jones", "099-29-4999")
      Dim applicant2 As New Person("Jones", "199-29-3999")
      Dim applicant3 As New Person("Jones", "299-49-6999")

      ' Add applicants to a List object.
      Dim applicants As New List(Of Person)
      applicants.Add(applicant1)
      applicants.Add(applicant2)
      applicants.Add(applicant3)

      ' Create a Person object for the final candidate.
      Dim candidate As New Person("Jones", "199-29-3999")

      If applicants.Contains(candidate) Then
         Console.WriteLine("Found {0} (SSN {1}).", _
                            candidate.LastName, candidate.SSN)
      Else
         Console.WriteLine("Applicant {0} not found.", candidate.SSN)
      End If         

      ' Call the shared inherited Equals(Object, Object) method.
      ' It will in turn call the IEquatable(Of T).Equals implementation.
      Console.WriteLine("{0}({1}) already on file: {2}.", _ 
                        applicant2.LastName, _
                        applicant2.SSN, _
                        Person.Equals(applicant2, candidate)) 
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
'       Found Jones (SSN 199-29-3999).
'       Jones(199-29-3999) already on file: True.

public class TestIEquatable
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      // Create a Person object for each job applicant.
      Person applicant1 = new Person("Jones", "099-29-4999");
      Person applicant2 = new Person("Jones", "199-29-3999");
      Person applicant3 = new Person("Jones", "299-49-6999");

      // Add applicants to a List object.
      List<Person> applicants = new List<Person>();
      applicants.Add(applicant1);
      applicants.Add(applicant2);
      applicants.Add(applicant3);

      // Create a Person object for the final candidate.
      Person candidate = new Person("Jones", "199-29-3999");

      if (applicants.Contains(candidate))
         Console.WriteLine("Found {0} (SSN {1}).", 
                            candidate.LastName, candidate.SSN);
      else
         Console.WriteLine("Applicant {0} not found.", candidate.SSN);

      // Call the shared inherited Equals(Object, Object) method.
      // It will in turn call the IEquatable(Of T).Equals implementation.
      Console.WriteLine("{0}({1}) already on file: {2}.",  
                        applicant2.LastName, 
                        applicant2.SSN, 
                        Person.Equals(applicant2, candidate)); 
   }
}
// The example displays the following output:
//       Found Jones (SSN 199-29-3999).
//       Jones(199-29-3999) already on file: True.