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COBOL and Visual Basic on .NET: A Guide for the Reformed Mainframe Programmer - page 37


Summary

This chapter's goals were as follows :

  • To cover the essentials of .NET programming

  • To explore the various ways of accessing data using .NET

  • To review the use of .NET to interface with the user

  • To introduce advanced .NET technologies

  • To understand the roles of marketing and planning for .NET

So, what is .NET? Throughout this chapter, I have provided several answers to this question. I am certain that now you can appreciate the various ways that this question can be answered . Try it. Ask several people the question. Depending on whom you ask, you will get different answers. The great thing is that each answer is likely to be correct. .NET really is a lot of things, including this one thing: Practically the future of Microsoft Windows and Web (also portable/mobile) targeted development depends on it.

The Microsoft executives have gone on record as stating that Microsoft's .NET commitment amounts to a " betting of the farm" for Microsoft. In other words, .NET is not just the next big thing, it is the next big thing ( especially for Microsoft, and thus for a developer community several hundred thousand strong).

In the next chapter, you will look at your retraining effort from a slightly different angle. You will explore (and remove) some of the common training obstacles that recently reformed mainframe programmers are likely to come across. My intention is to make sure that you have the proper foundation before you remove the brakes and dive even deeper into .NET.



To Learn More

The following are some suggested supplemental references to further your retraining effort.

Magazines

.NET Magazine:
       http://www.fawcette.com/dotnetmag/
Visual Studio Magazine:
       http://www.fawcette.com/vsm/
XML & Web Services Magazine:
       http://www.fawcette.com/xmlmag/

Web Sites

The .NET Compact Framework ”Overview:
        http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/device/compactfx.asp
.NET Enterprise Servers Overview:
       http://www.microsoft.com/servers/evaluation/overview/
.NET Training Roadmap:
       http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/roadmap/chart_tabloid.pdf
Microsoft .NET Basics: What Is .NET?:
       http://www.microsoft.com/net/defined/
Microsoft .NET Language Partners :
       http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/partners/language/default.asp
Microsoft Certifications:
       http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/default.asp
Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN):
       http://msdn.microsoft.com/
Microsoft Windows Updates:
       http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
Visual Studio .NET Professional 60-Day Trial Edition:
       http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/trial.asp



Chapter 3: .NET Retraining Prerequisites, Part 1

Tools You Will Need for Web and Windows Programming

Now you know what .NET is, at least from a high level. Additionally, you understand that a successful .NET retraining effort will include learning a new language syntax and learning much more about object orientation, language interoperability, Web enablement, and XML and Web services support. As you might have guessed, there is a lot more to learn. However, before I get into the details of the new Microsoft .NET platform and the .NET development tools offering, I should discuss a few topics to provide you with a better learning foundation.

Be patient. I can understand your eagerness to jump in and start developing new Windows, Web, and XML Web services applications ”there's plenty of time for that later. My concern is that you have the proper foundation from which to attack the remaining chapters in this book efficiently . I'm certain that time spent here will increase your chances for a more productive and less frustrating learning experience.

Generally, this chapter focuses on two common areas where mainframe programmers ”rather, reformed mainframe programmers ”run into difficulty. The first is losing the perspective of a full training effort, and the second is not being prepared with prerequisites.

Now, let's continue to build your learning foundation.