Marketing and Planning for .NET

How are you doing so far? By now, I believe you are getting the point that .NET is quite huge. Remember, you are eating this elephant one bite at a time and you have just a few more bites.

In this section, I cover .NET in the following contexts:

• Multiple editions of VS .NET

• Group of Enterprise Servers

• Career choice

.NET Is Multiple Editions of VS .NET

That's right. Multiple editions of VS .NET are available. The good news is that regardless of the edition you happen to get, you will still have the core portions of .NET (VS .NET, the .NET Framework, and the CLR). What will differ are the tools, plug-ins, and features to which you avail yourself. The following list shows the available VS .NET editions (in the order of smallest feature set to largest):

• Professional

• Academic

• Enterprise Developer

• Enterprise Architect

For your initial training purposes, any edition should suffice ”even the one with the fewest features. Obviously, as a developer, I could care less how Microsoft's marketing department decided to package the product. My concern is just to know what products are available and to clearly communicate that to you. Then, you can approach the subject with a bit of clarity.

If you happen to come across the following .NET software versions:

• VS .NET Beta 1

• VS .NET Beta 2

• VS .NET Release Candidate

• .NET Framework SDK

I recommend that you avoid installing them ”at least they should not be your first choice. At best, use them for training purposes only. When it comes to deploying production code, you will want to have the retail version 1.0 ”any of the editions mentioned previously. Each of the prerelease versions in the preceding list had its time (the key word being "had"). Now that version 1.0 is out, make every effort to get it. In the worst-case scenario, visit Microsoft's Web site and download the free 60-day trial version.

Cross-Reference  

Currently, a 60-day trial version (Visual Studio .NET Professional Edition) is available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/trial.asp .

Additionally, as version 1.0 of the .NET product moves through its maturity phases (as with any product), service packs are certain to be made available. Periodically visit Microsoft's Windows Update Web site ( http://windowsupdatemicrosoft.com/ ) for any available product updates (at a minimum, make it a habit to apply the updates that are marked as critical).

The .NET Compact Framework

As I discussed earlier in this chapter in the section ".NET Is Windows Development," you may choose to develop applications that target devices other than personal computers (i.e., mobile phones, PDAs, and so forth). For these devices, Microsoft has provided an edition of the .NET Framework called the .NET Compact Framework. The Compact Framework is a subset of the larger, fuller framework that you will use for Web and Windows development.

If you are interested in developing for portable devices, install the .NET Compact Framework ( alongside the full .NET Framework) together with the edition of the VS .NET product you happen to have. Then, using the same VS .NET product, you have the option of developing applications for the Web, desktop, and/or portable devices.

Microsoft uses the term "smart devices" to generically refer to all types of devices other than traditional computers. Hence, the .NET Compact Framework software product is accompanied by the Smart Device Extensions for Visual Studio .NET software product.

 

.NET Is a Group of Enterprise Servers

As I mentioned earlier in this chapter in the section ".NET is Multiple Editions of VS .NET," I generally care less (as a developer) about the apparent decisions of Microsoft's marketing department. I am not here to cast judgment on them and the decisions probably influenced by them. In other words, if they want to slap the .NET label onto all of their software products, more power to them. So, rather than spending too much time on Microsoft's reasoning, just accept it as fact: Microsoft decided to name a collection of their software packages ".NET software."

What does all of this have to do with defining .NET? Well, to return to the original purpose here of defining .NET, consider the following list of Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers:

• Microsoft Application Center 2000

• Microsoft BizTalk Server 2002

• Microsoft Commerce Server 2002

• Microsoft Content Management Server 2001

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2000

• Microsoft Host Integration Server 2000

• Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000

• Microsoft Operations Manager 2000

• Microsoft Mobile Information Server 2002

• Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2001

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000

• Windows 2000 Server

What is .NET? Well, to some, the answer would include some or all of these so-called .NET Enterprise Servers. For that reason, it is important for developers to know what the .NET distinction means (or will mean) when used in reference to one of Microsoft's software products.

In my opinion, the general marketing direction seems to support the following: In the short term, some of the server software packages will carry the .NET distinction for marketing purposes only. In the long term, each of the server software packages (eventually) will have native XML support, will run on top of the .NET CLR, will have its object model exposed via the .NET Framework, will be Web-enabled and Web service “enabled, and will then truly be a .NET server.

Cross-Reference  

The Flash animation file at the following URL demonstrates the interoperation that is possible among the .NET Enterprise Servers: http://www.microsoft.com/servers/evaluation/interop.asp .

Extended Learning Objective

You will want to familiarize yourself with (at least a few to start, and eventually the majority of) the .NET Enterprise Servers. In order for you to reach (or retain) the level of a senior developer, consider it an expectation. Start by learning each server by name. Later, build a working knowledge of each server (particularly the ones in use at your place of employment).

Do you think this is going overboard? Let me remind you that on the mainframe, a senior developer was familiar with most (if not all) of the system-level software packages that were installed, especially the ones that affected production application development and processing. These software packages commonly came from software vendors such as IBM, Candle, and Computer Associates (among others). Software products such as CICS, DB2, OMEGAMON, and CA-7/11 all fall into this system-level software category.

 

.NET Is a Career Choice

Perhaps you are wondering, "If .NET is so many things, how will I be able to become a .NET developer? How will I be able to learn so many things and be so many things ”all at once?" Well, my reader friend, with very few exceptions, most of the sections that you have read can represent areas broad enough for a specialization.

The idea of specialization is not foreign to the mainframe development community. I recall working with a gentleman ( years ago) who was respected for his in-depth programming ability. Yet, he always programmed using Dyl280. That I knew of, he did not touch COBOL or assembler ”only Dyl280. I repeat, he was respected and carried quite a bit of responsibility with his Dyl280 specialty. Granted, he probably knew of other technologies, but he was a master of the Dyl280 product.

So, in the mainframe environment, you had some who were known as great offline batch programmers or great CICS programmers. I am sure that you have worked with developers that spent their entire day creating powerful REXX and ISPF applications. You may have specialized in something yourself. Yes, occasionally you came across that exceptional person, the one who was a "Master of All Technology." Or, more often, you came across someone who just thought he or she was a "Master of All Technology."

Is there anything wrong with trying to eat the entire elephant? No, be my guest. Just do it one bite at a time. Perhaps you can start by specializing , and then either move on to other parts of the .NET landscape as time allows or find a good fit and stay put. What makes a good fit? Well, everyone is motivated by different things. Some will look at what skill sets demand the highest salary. Others will look at other factors for motivation. To each his own.

For our immediate concern, .NET is a career choice (after all, that is the bottom line). Microsoft has a great career roadmap on their MSDN site that I strongly recommend you examine.Whether you take the "learn everything" approach or the "specialization" approach, this roadmap will help you on your chosen path : http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/roadmap/chart_tabloid.pdf .

.NET Is a New Microsoft Certification

Twenty years ago, I worked with a team of mainframe CICS experts that happened to consist of independent contractors. On one occasion, I received a business card from one of the contractors and noticed his professional certification noted as "CDP" and "CCP." I remember asking the expert about his certification (CDP stands for Certified Data Processor and CCP stands for Certified Computer Programmer ).

His reply was as follows :

"Chris, this certification means nothing if you cannot do the job.First, learn to do your job. Later, if you want a good challenge tokeep you skills sharp, go for the certification. Otherwise, the certification would help you if you needed to market yourself for apromotion or in the case of being a contractor ”for your next work assignment."

Therefore, I spent the next 20 years learning how to do my job.

In keeping with the "What is .NET?" theme, .NET is a new distinction for Microsoft certification along with a new set of qualifying examinations. For application developers, there is the new Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) credential. For solution developers, there is the updated Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) credential. Microsoft offers other types of certifications as well, including the one that I have obtained (so far): the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) credential.