INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFTDOTNET

Microsoft .NET is Microsoft's new Internet strategy.

.NET was originally called NGWS.

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NGWS - Next Generation Windows Services

Before the official announcement of .NET, the term NGWS was used for Microsoft's plans for producing an "Internet-based platform of Next Generation Windows Services".

Steve Ballmer quote January 2000:

"Delivering an Internet-based platform of Next Generation Windows Services is the top priority of our company. The breakthroughs we’re talking about here include changes to the programming model, to the user interface, to the application integration model, the file system, new XML schema....."

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Microsoft. NET

The Microsoft. NET strategy was presented by Microsoft officials to the rest of the world in June 2000:

• .NET is Microsoft's new Internet and Web strategy
• .NET is NOT a new operating system
• .NET is a new Internet and Web based infrastructure
• .NET delivers software as Web Services
• .NET is a framework for universal services
• .NET is a server centric computing model
• .NET will run in any browser on any platform
• .NET is based on the newest Web standards

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.NET Internet Standards

.NET is built on the following Internet standards:

• HTTP, the communication protocol between Internet Applications
• XML, the format for exchanging data between Internet Applications
• SOAP, the standard format for requesting Web Services
• UDDI, the standard to search and discover Web Services

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.NET Framework

The .NET Framework is the infrastructure for the new Microsoft .NET Platform.

The .NET Framework is a common environment for building, deploying, and running Web Services and Web Applications.

The .NET Framework contains common class libraries - like ADO.NET, ASP.NET and Windows Forms - to provide advanced standard services that can be integrated into a variety of computer systems.

The .NET Framework is language neutral. Currently it supports C++, C#, Visual Basic, JScript (The Microsoft version of JavaScript) and COBOL. Third-party languages - like Eiffel, Perl, Python, Smalltalk, and others - will also be available for building future .NET Framework applications.

The new Visual Studio.NET is a common development environment for the new .NET Framework. It provides a feature-rich application execution environment, simplified development and easy integration between a number of different development languages.

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Additional Information

• The .NET plan includes a new version of the Windows operating system, a new version of Office, and a variety of new development software for programmers to build Web-based applications.
• The background for .NET is part of Microsoft's new strategy to keep Windows the dominant operating system in the market, as computing begins to move away from desktop computers toward Internet enabled devices, such as hand-held computers and cell phones.
• The most visual components of the new .NET framework are the new Internet Information Server 6.0, with ASP.NET and ADO.NET support, Visual Studio.NET software tools to build Web-based software, and new XML support in the SQL Server 2000 database.
• Bill Gates is supervising the .NET project. NET Building Blocks is a set of core Internet Services.

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  Web Services

  Web Services provide data and services to other applications.

  Future applications will access Web Services via standard Web Formats (HTTP, HTML, XML, and SOAP), with no need to know how the Web Service itself is implemented.

  Web Services are main building blocks in the Microsoft .NET programming model.

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  Standard Communication

  Official Web standards (XML, UDDI, SOAP) will be used to describe what Internet data is, and to describe what Web Services can do.

  Future Web applications will be built on flexible services that can interact and exchange data, without the loss of integrity.

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  Internet Storages

  .NET offers secure and addressable places to store data and applications on the Web. Allowing all types of Internet devices (PCs, Palmtops, Phones) to access data and applications.

  These Web Services are built on Microsoft's existing NTFS, SQL Server, and Exchange technologies.

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  Internet Dynamic Delivery

  Reliable automatic upgrades by demand and installation independent applications.

  .NET will support rapid development of applications that can be dynamically reconfigured.

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  Internet Identity

  .NET supports many different levels of authentication services like passwords, wallets, and smart cards.

  These services are built on existing Microsoft Passport and Windows Authentication technologies.

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  Internet Messaging

  .NET supports integration of messaging, e-mail, voice-mail, and fax into one unified Internet Service, targeted for all kinds of PCs or smart Internet devices.

  These services are built on existing Hotmail, Exchange and Instant Messenger technologies.

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  Internet Calendar

  .NET supports Internet integration of work, social, and private home calendars. Allowing all types of Internet devices (PCs, Palmtops, Phones) to access the data.

  These services are built on existing Outlook and Hotmail technologies.

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  Internet Directory Services

  .NET supports a new kind of directory services that can answer XML based questions about Internet Services, far more exactly than search engines and yellow pages.

  These services are built on the UDDI standard.
  
  

  .NET is a mix of technologies, standards and development tools

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  Windows.NET

  Today, Windows 2000 and Windows XP form the backbone of .NET.

  In the future, the .NET infrastructure will be integrated into all Microsoft's operating systems, desktop and server products.

  Windows.NET is the next generation Windows. It will provide support for all the .NET building blocks and .NET digital media. Windows.NET will be self-supporting with updates via Internet as users need them.

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  Office.NET

  A new version of Microsoft Office - Office.NET - will have a new .NET architecture based on Internet clients and Web Services.

  With Office.NET, browsing, communication, document handling and authoring will be integrated within a XML-based environment which allow users to store their documents on the Internet.

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  ASP.NET

  ASP.NET is the latest version of ASP. It includes Web Services to link applications, services and devices using HTTP, HTML, XML and SOAP.

  New in ASP.NET:

• New Language Support
• Programmable Controls
• Event Driven Programming
• XML Based Components
• User Authentication
• User Accounts and Roles
• High Scalability
• Compiled Code
• Easy Configuration
• Easy Deployment
• Not ASP Compatible
• Includes ADO.NET

You can read more about ASP.NET and ADO.NET in our ASP.NET Tutorial.

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Visual Studio.NET

The latest version of Visual Studio - Visual Studio.NET - incorporates ASP.NET, ADO.NET, Web Services, Web Forms, and language innovations for Visual Basic. The development tools have deep XML support, an XML-based programming model and new object-oriented programming capabilities.

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Visual Basic.NET

Visual Basic.NET has added language enhancements, making it a full object-oriented programming language.