C# variable length args, which is better and why: __arglist, params array or Dictionary<T,K>?

Question

I recently read the following overflow post: Hidden Features of C#

One of the features pointed out was the arglist. Why would one choose this or the alternatives as a means of using a variable length argument list to a method? Also, note that I would probably not use this kind of construct in my code unless a corner case warranted doing so. This is more of a question of semantics than whether it is even practical or prudent to even use variable length arguments. So does anyone know which is better and why?

 [Test]
 public void CanHandleVariableLengthArgs()
 {
     TakeVariableLengthArgs(__arglist(new StringBuilder(), 12));

     object[] arr = { new StringBuilder() };
     TakeVariableLengthArgs2(arr);

     TakeVariableLengthArgs3(
         new Dictionary<string, object> 
         { { "key", new StringBuilder() } });
 }

 public void TakeVariableLengthArgs(__arglist)
 {
      var args = new ArgIterator(__arglist);

      var a = (StringBuilder)TypedReference.ToObject(args.GetNextArg());
      a.Append(1);
 }

 public void TakeVariableLengthArgs2(params object[] args)
 {
      var a = (StringBuilder)args[0];
      a.Append(1);
 }

 public void TakeVariableLengthArgs3(Dictionary<string, object> args)
 {
      var a = (StringBuilder)args["StringBuilder"];
      a.Append(1);
 }

Answer 1

C# 4 will have a better mechanism for this; named and optional arguments:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // The method can be called in the normal way, by using positional arguments.
    Console.WriteLine(CalculateBMI(123, 64));

    // Named arguments can be supplied for the parameters in either order.
    Console.WriteLine(CalculateBMI(weight: 123, height: 64));
    Console.WriteLine(CalculateBMI(height: 64, weight: 123));

    // Positional arguments cannot follow named arguments.
    // The following statement causes a compiler error.
    //Console.WriteLine(CalculateBMI(weight: 123, 64));

    // Named arguments can follow positional arguments.
    Console.WriteLine(CalculateBMI(123, height: 64));
}

static int CalculateBMI(int weight, int height)
{
    return (weight * 703) / (height * height);
}

Answer 2

I would certainly never use __arglist, since it's undocumented and nobody knows what it means in any case.

I'd also avoid variable-length argument lists for as long as possible, and instead rework my design to understand what is truly variable, and to model that variability in a less platform-dependant manner.