title: Why use Convert.ToInt32 over casting?
body: <p>A question cropped up at work today about how to convert an object into its specific type (an <code>int</code>), I said to cast it:</p>
  
  <pre><code>int i = (int)object;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>a colleague said to use <code>Convert.ToInt32()</code>.</p>
  
  <pre><code>int i = Convert.ToInt32(object)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What's the difference between <code>Convert.ToInt32()</code> and a direct object cast?</p>