Should I start with .NET?

[KernowWebDev]

Hello

In order to prepare myself for my Honors Degree project next year, I am about to embark on a self-learning programming experience, more specifically web-based programming.

Even though I have dabbled with Java, C+ and PHP in the past, I am completely new to Microsoft programming technologies and am not sure which path to take. I have been researching Microsoft technologies and am aware of Visual Basic, VBScript and ASP and know what they are for, however I am a little bit confused over the new .NET technology in terms of how to approach it.

My question is, would it be best to learn the original Visual Basic first before delving into Visual Basic.NET? Similarly, would it be best to learn ASP and VBScript before tackling ASP.NET? Or, since I have experience with Object Oriented programming and understand that Visual Basic.NET is an OO language, would it be best to dive into Visual Basic.NET and ASP.NET straight away?

Will the .NET technology eventually replace the original ASP, Visual Basic and VBScript?

Any clarification on how I approach Microsoft technologies would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[NoteMe]

It is never possible to say what technology will take over in the future. But at the current time it seems like learning VB before VB.NET would be like learning to ride a horse before learning to drive. Hence not needed at all. If I where new to programming today, I would go for C# or VB.NET. Simply because it is the new technology. I would choose C# if I liked the C syntax, or VB.NET if I liked the Basic syntax. The two languages can do more or less the same things anyway. And if you first know one .NET language, then it is really easy to learn one of the other .NET languages.


Hope that helps a bit.
- ØØ -

[KernowWebDev]

Thanks very much for that,

I understand now that "Classic" Visual Basic is not needed to learn Visual Basic.NET as they both adopt two different programming fundamental concepts - where .NET is more object oriented.

Do you or anyone else think that Visual Basic, VBScript and ASP are all still worth learning anyway? I have the feeling that I may as well just go ahead and start learning the .NET technologies....as Object Oriented programming seems to be the way forward.

It's pretty neat that learning one .NET technology will allow for easier learning of another .NET technology.

And just to confirm in my mind - is Visual Studio.NET the environment for .NET development? Can I program with both .NET versions of Visual Basic and ASP using Visual Studio.NET?

Thanks a lot for anymore help and advice.

[NoteMe]

You can always argue for learning old programming languages. Because there is still and will be for a long time a lot of applications out there that is written in Visual Basic or even Fortran or olderlanguages that still needs to be updated. But that doesn't mean that you need to start out with it. If you start now, then go for a .NET language. When you know a couple of languages it will be easier to learn the next one anyway. For example, I have never done a project in C# before DoomSharp(); But I have used C, C++, Java, VB, PHP, ASM, Prolog and so on, but C# didn't take me much time to learn. Off course I don't know everything there is to know about C# yet, but just click on one of the banners in my signature and see how much I have been able to do in a bit more then a month with C#.

So my advice is at least. Learn a .NET language now. Then look behind or to the side or what ever later on.


And yes. VS.NET is an IDE for .NET languages (at least the original languages made by MS. VB.NET, C#, ASP.NET, C++.NET). But you also have free alternatives like mono and Sharp*** something.. So if you can't afford buying .NET you still have alternatives.


- ØØ -

[wossname]

I agree with Note, go buy .net, you can get C# for about £80 (or $130), which is nothing to an Honours student

[Sgt-Peppa]

Even tho I know I am being a smartass here but just to not confuse anyone.

The .NET Technology is free! You dont need to pay anything to code in C# or any other .NET Language.
The Framework is free and there are free Compilers on the Net.

MSDN

However if you want a good IDE you need to buy Visual Studio .NET.

There are free IDE's out there like Sharp Develop for example. But i would not recommend it. It is still very Buggy and makes coding,.... well lets say,..... a very special experience.

Stephan

[NoteMe]

Didn't I all ready say so...



- ØØ -

[Sgt-Peppa]

Now you are being the smartass!

[NoteMe]

I didn't want you to look like a smart ass, so I had to do something with it.. You should thank me, really..

- ØØ -

[KernowWebDev]

Thank you very much guys for all your advice and banter lol. Seriously, thanks guys I appreciate it.

I won't throw out my visual basic books just yet - I'll hang onto them as they might be worth a read in the future.

Great to hear that the .NET framework is actually free though obviously I'll have to buy Visual Studio.NET

Oh yeah, would anyone suggest that a move to Windows XP professional would be a better platform to run the .NET development systems? I only have the Home Edition of XP and I have read that Professional is better equipped for Microsoft web development as it contains the IIS server. I've read that, unfortunately, the IIS and even PWS servers are not supported by XP Home Edition - unless anyone knows otherwise?

Thanks again all!

[dglienna]

There have been a few links showing how to get it running on XP Home, but I haven't tried to do it, so can't guarantee that it will work.

If you don't have IIS running, 'Net won't install a few features.

[deranged]

My first computer language was QBasic, then I went to Visual Basic. Now I'm coding in C#. I would recommend learning C# first, because I was too used to the BASIC syntax and reluctant to move on to the C# that I had heard so much good about. Now that I moved on and know a decent amount of C#, I'm loving it. It's so easy and practical.

However, PHP is a great web language.

[mendhak]

Get XP Professional because

1. XP Home does not support IIS. Despite all the floating workarounds for it, it is simply not worth the hassle. And once you start with ASP.NET, you'll realize how strong a future it has. (Stronger than Winforms applications)

2. It sounds cooler than "home edition."

[StrangerInBeijing]

I would rather start with Java if I were you.
1) Java is not tied to any company as much as .Net is tied to Microsoft
2) Java uses the JVM, which is a similiar concept of the .Net Framework
3) Java truely runs on most platform
4) Java'a syntax come from C++ and is much similiar to C#, so if you want to go either direction in the future, you are pretty much settled.

I know you guys are going to throw some stones at me now, but just remember I am not a Java expert myself and can hardly write a simple application in it. It just make perfect sense.

[NoteMe]

Throw @ StrangerInBeijing



- ØØ -

[wossname]

.data
wholeBunchOfRocks  ROCKS 1000 DUP(bigHeavyRock)
.code

mov ecx, 1000
TOP:
throw StrangerInBeijing, ROCK PTR [ecx + OFFSET wholeBunchOfRocks]
Loop TOP 

[StrangerInBeijing]

.data
wholeBunchOfRocks  ROCKS 1000 DUP(bigHeavyRock)
.code

mov ecx, 1000
TOP:
throw StrangerInBeijing, ROCK PTR [ecx + OFFSET wholeBunchOfRocks]
Loop TOP 

OK OK...we all know you can code in IL now!
and it's stones, not rocks! play fair b#tch!

[StrangerInBeijing]

Throw stones in Java

[wossname]

I wouldn't waste my l337 skills on IL.

Thats pure ASM baby! Designed to throw rocks at you really really fast for suggesting Java

[StrangerInBeijing]

I wouldn't waste my l337 skills on IL.

Thats pure ASM baby! Designed to throw rocks at you really really fast for suggesting Java

aargh..that's what I wanted to say...got confused
Into hacking too I see! Bad bad bad ("l337")

Seriously, don't anyone think I got a point at all?
This dude are gonna study IT, not M$ (from where I resigned today coincidently!) Just my 2 cents

[jas4th]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this(?) but another question is whether you ought to go straight to .NET 2 and VS 2005 as its imminently due for release (next month).
There are Express versions of the programming languages and SQL - but I cannot say how they compare.

[wossname]

Waiting for 2005 is a good idea, its so close to release there's no point getting used to an earlier version.

[Hack]

Waiting for 2005 is a good idea, its so close to release there's no point getting used to an earlier version.

I would almost agree with this except for one small thing...Microsoft does not exactly have a glowing reputation for releasing products when they say they are going to release them and/or if they do push, and release them when they say, a service pact will be just around the corner to fix the bugs they knew about, but didn't have time to fix because they wanted to ship it.

[StrangerInBeijing]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this(?) but another question is whether you ought to go straight to .NET 2 and VS 2005 as its imminently due for release (next month).
There are Express versions of the programming languages and SQL - but I cannot say how they compare.

Yep, you can get all the software you need (SQL Server, Visual Web Developer 2005, etc) for absolutely free. I'm using it now, and works fine for me. Seeing there are some confusing differences between 2003 and 2005 (I mean in the IDE's), and new stuff added to the Framework, it's a good idea to start there.
Still think Java....OUCH!

[hoshantm]

Start with .Net 2005 for desktop apps.
For web, consider PHP

[StrangerInBeijing]

In order to prepare myself for my Honors Degree project next year, I am about to embark on a self-learning programming experience, more specifically web-based programming.

...Java