Chapter 1. .NET Overview
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Thomas Edison did not invent the first electric light bulb or the first incandescent lamp. He did, however, invent the first practical and commercially successful electric incandescent lamp. He did not invent the first electrical power station. He improved the designs of existing generators and regulators to create the first commercially successful power station capable of delivering affordable power for electric lighting. He did not invent the telegraph. But he did invent the first duplex and multiplex telegraphy systems, enabling telegraphs to send and receive messages at the same time over the same wire. Thomas Edison did not invent the Internet, wireless computer devices, or even .NET. He did, however, create a framework of core technologies that we have improved that make those technologies possible. .NET is not the next generation of the Internet. It is the first practical set of tools that will enable software developers to invent the next generation of the Internet. .NET is an original adaptation of many successful and novel technologies and ideas to solve a problem; businesses have found it very difficult and expensive to create profitable Internet solutions with the available development frameworks and architectures. The next generation of the Internet will be funded by businesses who demand solutions with a short development cycle, a quick return on their investment, long- term profitability, and that are secure and inexpensive to maintain and upgrade. .NET has been designed with the Internet in mind from the ground up. .NET absorbs many successful ideas that have been in use for years , yet it is a radical departure from the client-server framework it replaces . It is based on time- tested , object-oriented software programming concepts, non-proprietary standards and protocols, and programming languages that many of you are already quite comfortable with. Comfortable or not, Microsoft has decided to make a clean break from the past, which means that nobody is completely immune from a learning curve if they care to follow Microsoft into the future. If you already own a copy of Windows 2000, or Windows XP, you will not need to purchase anything more from Microsoft to develop, test, and deploy your own software inventions on the .NET framework. The only thing you will need to invest in beyond that is your future. If you don't buy into the hype, good for you! We encourage you to look beyond our biased enthusiasm to examine all the facts. When you gain a better understanding of what .NET is, and the role that ASP.NET has within this platform, most of you will recognize the changes and investments that you will need to make to create your own personal commercial success. The changes might even force you to take a closer look at what the competition offers, which can't hurt, regardless of your opinions about .NET. If you're starting to feel a bit overwhelmed, just look to the closest light socket and a bit of Edison's wisdom to guide you: "Opportunity is often missed because it is dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work." This chapter will give you a high-level introduction to the key concepts and components that make up the .NET Framework. You will have a much shorter learning curve if you can think of ASP.NET in terms of the big .NET picture. We know you're anxious to dig into the fun stuff, so we'll do our best to keep this chapter as quick, fun, and rewarding as we can. |
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