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What Does This Book Cover?


What Does This Book Cover?

This book is based on the 1.1 version of the .NET Framework. Wherever appropriate, the book contains specific references to what has changed in the 1.1 release.

Specifically, this book

  • Examines the features of the .NET Framework, including the common language runtime and programming languages (C#, Visual Basic .NET, Visual J#, Visual C++).

  • Reviews the most commonly used classes in the .NET Framework class library.

  • Guides you through the installation and usage of Visual Studio .NET and other third-party tools.

  • Leads you through the process of developing .NET applications (Web and Windows), Web services, and mobile applications.

  • Explores how to interoperate and integrate with existing COM and Win32 applications.

  • Covers tools and techniques for securing .NET applications.

  • Reviews key components of the Windows Server System (SharePoint, BizTalk) and Office System (Word, Excel, InfoPath) and how to integrate .NET applications with them.

  • Discusses best practices for application development, by understanding blueprint applications and case studies.


How This Book Is Organized

This book is organized into 16 chapters. Chapters 1 “4 provide a hands-on quick overview of the core components of the Microsoft .NET Framework ”common language runtime, programming languages, and the class library. Chapter 5 covers Visual Studio. NET, which is the most popular tool for developing .NET applications. Building on top of the previous chapter, Chapter 6 reviews the various third-party tools and components that are available as alternatives or complements to Visual Studio .NET.

Next is where the fun starts. Chapters 7 “10 apply core understanding and utilize the .NET programming model and tools to develop Windows applications, Web applications, Web services, and mobile applications.

No application is developed or deployed by itself. Integration is increasingly becoming an important aspect of development, rather than an afterthought. Chapters 11 “13 look at how .NET applications and services can be integrated and interoperate with other key technologies and products of the Microsoft technology platform, including legacy COM applications, Office applications, and the suite of back-end servers (SharePoint Portal Server, BizTalk Server), now known as the Windows Server System.

A lot of significance has been given to security in the .NET platform. Chapter 14 provides details on the new code access security (CAS) features of the .NET Framework. Since the evolution of the .NET platform, Microsoft has come up with a number of blueprint (or sample) applications that apply a combination of .NET components and best practices to build production-ready sample applications. These applications provide a testing ground for performance benchmarking and technology highlights. Chapter 15, an unusual entry into this Kick Start book, discusses these blueprint applications and examines the concepts highlighted.

Last, but definitely not least, Chapter 16 looks at the road ahead for .NET and explores what you can look forward to as evolutionary (or even revolutionary) changes to the .NET programming model.


Tools You Will Need

All code examples featured in this book have been developed using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003. Detailed system requirements for Visual Studio .NET are specified at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/sysreqs/default.aspx, and you are encouraged to check it out to see if your development workstation or notebook meets those requirements.

In particular, all examples have been developed and tested on a notebook with the following configuration ”Pentium 4 processor, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard disk, Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition running on Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition. In addition, Windows 2000 Server SP3 has also been used specifically for servers that don't (yet!) support the Windows 2003 Server platform.

It is important to point out that Visual Studio .NET 2003 uses .NET Framework 1.1, which is also used as the basis for the code samples in the book. Also, even though Visual Studio .NET provides enhanced capabilities and tools for developing .NET applications, it is not a requirement. Microsoft provides a freely downloadable Software Development Kit (SDK) for command-line style development of .NET applications and Web services. System Requirements for .NET Framework 1.1 SDK are available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/productinfo/sysreqs/default.aspx. The URL also provides the system requirements for the .NET Framework 1.1 redistributable, which is required for deploying .NET applications (except browser-based applications, where the requirement is typically a standard Web browser).