Re: .Net ... I need info

The biggest downside to ASP.Net is that it totally obliterates VBScript as a
language.  Where once people who had a stronger graphics/html background
could more easily enter the realm of programming learning the watered-down
VB language that is VBScript, with ASP.NET they now are required to learn
some fairly hardcore programming languages or hire hardcore programmers to
take all their VBScript pages and transition them to full-fledged VB, C#,
C++, etc.

For many of us out there who needed the power of dynamic pages connected
with SQL databases but lacked full-fledged programming experience, VBScript,
ColdFusion, PHP, etc.  was the solution.  It allowed people to get a taste
for programming without delving too deeply into it.  While clearly ASP.Net
will help the performance and open the door for more advanced dynamic pages
for those who know how to implement them, it does nothing for the
aforementioned web designers who otherwise wouldn't consider learning a
full-blown programming language like VB or C++.

The advent of .NET has forced the hand on those people who needed to be all
things to all people, doing graphics, html, and dynamic/database-related
work.  VBScript writers must now become full-fledged programmers in order to
keep up, because the reality is that not everyone can afford a staff of both
graphic designers AND software engineers to make a website.  In many cases,
companies staff only one or two people who are counted on to do everything
from creating dynamic pages to making banner ads and Flash presentations.
And while ASP.net is backward compatible and old ASP pages will still work,
you can bet VBScript pages will stop being supported altogether in
subsequent IIS versions.

Do I think .Net is a good idea?  I suppose.  But for a lot of us it'll mean
taking a few semesters' worth of VB classes.


> .Net is being welcomed among experienced VB/ASP developers as a great leap
> forward in an already very productive environment. It is the future. Not
the
> only future, nor is this an OS war. But about the 'relevance' or
'viability'
> of .Net, there should be little question.
>
> You can develop in the language of your choice (C++, COBOL, VB, C#, Java,
> etc) and still plug into .Net. Even folks who like curly braces will feel
> right at home!

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