Web Design And Microsoft .Net Technology
By ENetGate
In 2000, Microsoft announced its .NET software environment, a
new addition to Windows. The .NET (“dot – net”) environment is
effectively a “virtual computer” that runs on a real computer,
with the advantage that any program written for it will run on
any computer which is running .NET.
One important aspect of the .NET strategy is its independence
from a specific language or platform. Developers can create a
.NET application in any .NET - compatible language and
participate in the same software project writing code in the
.NET languages in which they are most competent (such as Visual
C++.NET, Visual Basic .NET, C#, Perl and others). Part of the
.NET software environment includes Active Server Pages (ASP)
.NET technology, which allows developers to develop applications
for the Web.
The .Net architecture can exist on multiple platforms, further
extending the portability of .NET programs. Additionally, the
.NET software environment involves a new program development
process that could change the way programs are written and
executed, leading to increased productivity.
The most important component of the .NET architecture is Web
Services, which are applications that can be used over the
Internet. One example of a Web service is the tour operator’s
flights booking system. The tour operator wanted to enable
customers to book flights from the tour operator’s Web site. To
do so, the tour operator needed to access the airline’s booking
system. In response, an airline partner created a Web service
that allowed the tour operator to access the airline’s database
and make bookings. Web services enable the two companies to
communicate over the Web, even if they use the different
operating systems (the tour operator uses UNIX and the airline
uses Windows). By creating a Web service, the airline can allow
other tour operators to use its booking system without creating
a new program.
The .NET strategy extends the concept of software reuse to the
Internet, allowing developers to concentrate on their
specialties without having to implement every component of every
application. Instead, companies can buy Web services and devote
their time and energy to developing their products.
The .NET strategy incorporates the idea of software reuse. When
companies link their products in this way, a new user experience
emerges. For example, an online store could buy Web services for
online credit-card payments, user authentication and inventory
databases to create an e-commerce Web site. The keys to this
interaction are XML and SOAP, which enable Web service to
communicate. XML gives meaning to data, and SOAP is the protocol
that allows Web services to communicate easily with one another.
XML and SOAP act together combining various Web services to form
applications.
Another important concept in the .NET technology is universal
data access. If two copies of a file exist (such as on a
personal computer and a company computer), the less recent
version must constantly be updated, this is called file
synchronization. If the separate versions of the file are
different, they are unsynchronized and could lead to serious
error. Using the .NET data could reside in one central location
rather than on separate systems. Any internet-connected device
could access the data, which would then be formatted properly
for use on access device (a desktop PC, a PDA or other device).
Thus, the same document could be displayed and edited without
the need to synchronise the data, because it would be up to date
in central area.
About the Author: The Author is the IT Solutions Development
Manager of eNetGate Company, which specializes in Web Design,
Database Development and Application Development throughout the
UK. http://www.enetgate.com/Web-Design-UK/
Source: http://www.isnare.com