learning ASP.NET

[robbedaya]

My bosses have decided that we are going to do a remake of our software in ASP.NET. It's a server-client application for insurance brokers in Belgium written in .NET. We are going to do a complete rewrite, not just upgrading.

We (me and tree other developpers ) need to learn ASP.NET.
Whe have these option:
- We learn it by ourselves using a book, tutorials, ...
- We learn it by following microsoft education program.
- We learn it by going to India for 2 weeks, and have an intensive training by a personnal educator. (We get certified when we complete this training).

I'm not asking, what would be the coolest to do, i'm asking what could be the option that benefits us the most. The option that gets us ready (realy know ASP.NET, not just knowing where to start) for ASP.NET as quick as possible.

I do have some experience with VB.NET.

If you know good books, tutorials, ... please let me know.

[mpdeglau]

That's a hard question to answer. There are a lot of things the answer depends on. The diggest one is how do you learn best. Some people can just pick up a book and do a couple tutorials and poof they're experts. Some people need a structured program. Learning step by step. And other people need to be shown and have an instructor to ask questions.

Every one of your options has the potental to give you "just a starting point", or gets you to "really know ASP.Net". I hope you also put this question to your team because they are really the only ones who can answer this question.

[Wokawidget]

Moved.

1) Personally I would go for option 1. Using books, the web and other resources are much better than a 2 week course. Mainly because you get to learn how to do things correctly. On the web you have more people to ask for help etc.
2) I have been on 2 MS .NET courses, and then cancelled the other 5 as the 1st 2 were diabolical! Jeeeeez, if you said, what they told us at the MS courses, in an interview then you would not get the job. MS courses are a joke, and I swear I saw the course tutor in the Muppets. (the ones I have been on)
3) Hmmm...why India? See point 2. That's all I'm gonna say on the subject without annoying too many people.

Woka

[Wokawidget]

...and have an instructor to ask questions.

When I 1st went to the MS course this is the bit I was looking forward too, but alas it wasn't to be.
This example, and this IS true, still confuses me to this day.
We have the following:

Dim MyData As DataSet
 
            'code here to populate MyData
 
            Dim DataIWant As DataSet
 
            If Me.Cache.Item("DATA") Is Nothing Then
                DataIWant = MyData
            Else
                DataIWant = CType(Me.Cache.Item("DATA"), DataSet)
            End If
 
            'code to use DataIWant

As you can see REGARDLESS if the data is cached or not, the code still gets the data from the DB. This will happen everytime.
This was a typo in the MS course work. I pointed this out to the tutor, who literally couldn't get her head around it. She was adamant the code in the course was right.
I wrote on the board in front of the class:
[Highlight=VB]

Dim DataIWant As DataSet
 
            If Me.Cache.Item("DATA") Is Nothing Then
                
                'code here to populate DataIWant
            
                Me.Cache.Item("DATA") = DataIWant
 
            Else
                DataIWant = CType(Me.Cache.Item("DATA"), DataSet)
            End If
 
            'code to use DataIWant

The tutor didn't understand what I had done, and then said "yes, ok, but the MS code works"....errrr...*SIGH*, yea the app works, but it doesn't deal with caching correctly does it.
This was one of many many many incompitant errors that they made, which is why I have no faith is MS training courses.

Woka

[robbedaya]

The courses in india are courses that have a better reputation then the MS courses. Every student gets a private tutor. SO it's more intesive then MS courses. Why they give it in India I don't know.

I'm from belgium so that would be a 14hour flight or something

[FishGuy]

Courses run in india a cheaper because the costs of labour (tutors fees) are so much lower.

[Wokawidget]

They do that in India beacuse, and no offence to Indian coders, but they get paid peanuts compared to other countries.
My figures are incorrect here, just trying to get the situation across.
£1000 hires you a tutor in the UK for a week to teach say 5 people.
In India it would cost £50 for the same thing, which is why they can afford to do 1 on 1 as for 5 people this would now cost £250, still 1/4 of the price to do a course in the UK.

I am not sure on exact figures and prices, but the principal is the same.

Last year to send me to Holland, which is 300 miles away, it would have cost my company £1800 for me to visit the MS Tech Ed Conference. The same conference, but a few months later in Florida, would have cost my company £1200. That includes flights and hotels. The reason for this is the strength of the $.
My company refused outright to send me to florida, but said Holland was OK! The reason for this was because they didn't want other employees to think I was being sent on holiday!!! *sigh*

Woka

[atoom]

Do not go in india, you will be disapointed because the real good indian coders are outside india. Wokawidget explains why....

I suggest you both self-training and microsoft education program

[nemaroller]

No, the real good Indian programmers are working full-time for companies abroad, but negotiate a 4 week vacation in India while 'working at home', getting paid full western salaries while on vacation, and yet enjoying the cheap cost of living in India in 4 weeks.

[dogboydelta]

Take one of the free trainings - AND get some books. I like SAMS ASP.NET Unleashed, its a 60 pound big red book and is very clear and thorough.