Few basic questions about ASP.NET

Our MIS Director, someone who knows nothing about programing, has a fear of compiled languages. Of course this is unnecessarily.

Does ASP.NET compile into an executable? If not what is the difference between an executable and ASP.NET? I know that the compiler verifies whether the syntax of the code is valid or not. This is better than not compiling the code since you will never discover inaccuracies until after you've run the code.

Do you have to know OOP to program in ASP.NET?

If so do i need to learn OOP first or will any ASP.NET book basically teach me waht i need to know as i go along? I have a very basic understanding of OOP concepts.

will learning ASP.NET help in learning VB.NET?

People say taht the .NET languages are "hard" because of the learning curve not necessarily that the syntax or safe coding hard to implement? I assume the problem is with the OOP concepts and learning what objects belong to what classes. Really unless my book waters down OOP, I don't find it that difficult to understand at all but i've not implemented it a lot.

Thanks!

Let me see if I can boil this down.... here's how OOP was explained to me when it first surfaced - or at least when I first became aware of it nearly 20 yrs ago.

Let's take an Orange and break it down. Think about the things that make an Orange different from say, an Apple.
Color - Orange, orange; Apple, red
Skin - Orange, rind, unedible; Apple, skin, edible
Taste - Orange, tangy, sour; Apple, sweet
Shape - Orange, round; Apple, unique
Stem - Orange, no; Apple, yes

OK. So what you would do then is create a class of type Fruit - both the Apple and Orange are a fruit. This would be like creating an object, or a form.

Now that you have your object/class, set the properties.
objOrange.Skin = enumRind
objOrange.Color = colorOrange
objOrange.Taste = Tangy
.
.
.

You can do the same with the apple. The key is that the base class is the same, be it an apple, orange, watermellon (you could add a property that is called Seeds, make it a boolean) or a strawberry. They all have common properties, only the values of the properties themselves is what makes each one different.

Another common analogy is cars. Deep down, they are all basicaly the same, engine, doors, wheels, aceleration device, braking.... but it's the different settings that make each one different.

In a nutshell, that's how OOP works. You break it down into it's components and see what makes each one the same, yet different.

Now, for some of your other questions. Yes, ASP.NET is compiled.... sort of. When the page is run the first time, it will be compiled into a runable object and stored in the server's cache. Then any time the page is requested after that, the runable object is used, unless the page has changed in the meantime. Compiler does more than syntax check, actualy, the IDE does most of that. Hopefully by the time the compiler gets it, that's been alsorted out.

You don't need to know OOP to program ASP.NET, but it certanly helps.

Most ASP.NET will probably not teach OOP, you'll need to find a book specificaly on OOP for any kind of discussion like that. Try to get one that talks about OOP in a non-language specific manner. Or at the very least uses pseudo-code (English looking statements that read similar to real code - "If coffee cup is empty then get refill" can be considered pseudo-code. )

Since ASP.NET uses VB.NET as it's language, yes and no. It will help you learn some of VB.NET, but only in regards to building webforms. Working with WindowForms is a little different, albiet not much.

The .NET languages are only as hard as you let them to be. I've only been programming in it in earnest for about two months now. It took a little getting used to (it more to get used to the new VS IDE than the actual language). Read about it, play with it a little, don't be afraid to experiment a little - the "What does this do?" attitude helps me a lot. But it might be also that I have a background in OOP and experience/exposure to other non-VB languages that have similar constructs and concepts that may have helped.

It's been said that "Those who do, do. And those who can't, become managers" - if your MIS director has a fear of compiled, he needs to put hte keyboard and the mouse down and step away from the PC. Did a compiler bite him once before? Everything is compiled.... Windows.... Word.... Just about anything he uses on the PC will be compiled. *shudder*

TG

Quote:

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Originally posted by maurices5000


will learning ASP.NET help in learning VB.NET?

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No. VB.NET will help in learning ASP.NET ;)

It's not as difficult as people tell you. Initially, you may be intimidated by the change in methods, but eventually you get the hang of it.

You should pick up an ASP.NET book, it'll give you a good feel of working with ASP.NET. And you'll see compiled isn't such a bad thing.

Thanks guys!

I found that i book entitled: build your own asp.net website using c# adn vb.net.

I fear languages that are not fully compiled personally.

What exactly does compiling do? In classic VB, we didn't have a compile as we do in .NET. Why compile? I know a few benefits.

Thanks guys!

VB6 apps are compiled.

I am confused what your MIS director suggests to use in place of compiled languages?

Sorry, guys! I don't expect anyone to try to make sense out of what they are saying. Taht is a waste of time. Dont' let the title fool you.

Why compile? Because it runs faster. It becomes portable (meaning it can be installed on to multiple machines). The code can't be monkeyed around with by users.

I can't think of any reason to NOT compile. In fact, I fear uncompiled languages/apps.

TG

Sorry, guys, I wasn't debating whether to compile or not. In essence I am trying ot understand a stupid stance but maybe the stance is just stupid. LOL! I guess to be able to answer their questions i need to deeping my understanding of compiling myself.

Quote:

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Originally posted by maurices5000
Our MIS Director, someone who knows nothing about programing, has a fear of compiled languages.

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Did you ask him why?
People have already posted why compiled languages are better than interpreted ones.

Good question, Memnoch1207. and thanks for your comments

The only thing they could tell me was they feared memory leaks and code problems wasting Server resources. Both of which can also be caused by scripting languages!

Oh, they do say that web-based apps are easier to update than executables. this was probably the only somewhat legitimate excuse they gave.

Basically they don't know what they are talking about and the best way to deal with them is to educate myself becasue they refuse to.