ASP.NET-the Host

To develop or host a ASP.NET web application, you need access to a Windows server running Windows NT, 2000, or XP. (Windows NT will need a special option pack to run the .NET framework. The option pack is available in the download section of www.microsoft.com.) In addition, we suggest downloading the .NET Software Development Kit to install the .NET framework. The full Softwae Development Kit is a large download (more than 100MB), but it provides a multitude of documentation and code examples you can have at your fingertips. The .NET Software Development Kit is a free download from www.microsoft.com/net.

As well, you should choose between VB.NET or C# as the programming language in which you'll create your ASP.NET application. To help you make an informed choice, we'll use both VB.NET and C# in the examples in this chapter.