How to learn .Net

Hi there,
I'm a SQL Server professional, specialising in DTS & Analysis Services. I have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5, Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
I read everywhere at the moment that SQL Server professionals need to start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity about the "new world" of .Net.
What is the best way to start for someone with my background? A SQL Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
thanks in advance
Jamie Thomson
Jamie,
I think this is a rather subjective question. Some people learn best in
a classroom where they can intereact with a teacher. Others prefer to
learn from a book where they can work at their own pace and try the
demos and examples in the book. Others prefer to just dive in and start
"hacking around" by referring to the MSDN Library when they get stuck.
You need to decide on whether you would benefit more from a structured
learning experience, i.e. classroom training, or a self-paced
experience, such as books, online learning libraries, or MELL.
I personally prefer a classroom experience for something that I am
totally new to, and once I have grasped the basics, I prefer to learn
from books or some other form of self paced learning.
Horses for courses...
Mark Allison, SQL Server MVP
http://www.markallison.co.uk
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Jamie wrote:
> Hi there,
> I'm a SQL Server professional, specialising in DTS & Analysis Services. I have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5, Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
> I read everywhere at the moment that SQL Server professionals need to start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity about the "new world" of .Net.
> What is the best way to start for someone with my background? A SQL Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
> thanks in advance
> Jamie Thomson
>
|||Jamie,
a really good place to start is the Modern Software Development seminar
series by Joe Hummel as per link below. VB focussed but does a great job of
explaining the concepts / issues. Also a lot of real world stuff , about
when its best to use certain language / .Net features etc that is missing
from a lot of the other stuff I've seen.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/com...n/default.aspx
Andy.
"Jamie" <Jamie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9D722171-D94A-429D-B989-71ECBEE2EFCD@.microsoft.com...
> Hi there,
> I'm a SQL Server professional, specialising in DTS & Analysis Services. I
have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5,
Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
> I read everywhere at the moment that SQL Server professionals need to
start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its
about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity
about the "new world" of .Net.
> What is the best way to start for someone with my background? A SQL
Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
> thanks in advance
> Jamie Thomson
>
|||Mark,
Classroom learning is not an option as I intend to do this off my own back and can't afford a course.
I guess I'm looking for advice on either:
a) Good books for beginners or
b) Free online training resources.
Any advice from someone in the know as to what I should concentrate on would be useful as well.
Thanks for the reply Mark, thats very useful.
Regards
Jamie Thomson
"Mark Allison" wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Jamie,
> I think this is a rather subjective question. Some people learn best in
> a classroom where they can intereact with a teacher. Others prefer to
> learn from a book where they can work at their own pace and try the
> demos and examples in the book. Others prefer to just dive in and start
> "hacking around" by referring to the MSDN Library when they get stuck.
> You need to decide on whether you would benefit more from a structured
> learning experience, i.e. classroom training, or a self-paced
> experience, such as books, online learning libraries, or MELL.
> I personally prefer a classroom experience for something that I am
> totally new to, and once I have grasped the basics, I prefer to learn
> from books or some other form of self paced learning.
> Horses for courses...
> --
> Mark Allison, SQL Server MVP
> http://www.markallison.co.uk
> Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
> http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
>
> Jamie wrote:

>
|||Hi Jamie
Fernando Guerrero, from my company Solid Quality Learning, has offered a
seminar at various conferences on .NET for the DBA, designed for just this
purpose and is VERY SQL Server centric. We are looking at ways to allow
Fernando to deliver this online in a publicly available format and should
have something scheduled by the end of the summer. Information will be
available on our site when we have all the details in place.
HTH
Kalen Delaney
SQL Server MVP
www.SolidQualityLearning.com
"Jamie" <Jamie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9D722171-D94A-429D-B989-71ECBEE2EFCD@.microsoft.com...
> Hi there,
> I'm a SQL Server professional, specialising in DTS & Analysis Services. I
have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5,
Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
> I read everywhere at the moment that SQL Server professionals need to
start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its
about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity
about the "new world" of .Net.
> What is the best way to start for someone with my background? A SQL
Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
> thanks in advance
> Jamie Thomson
>
|||I agree with Kalen, than Fernando would do an excellent job... You might
also try out some books like the Hitchihikers guide ( if there is a version
for Dot. Net.)
Companies like Learnkey also provide CD, and video based training
(www.learnkey.com)...
Getting involved with a local dot net group would be helpful as well.. (
Perhaps INETA (www.ineta.org) )
And (for sure) surf the Dot net newsgroups as your main forum for Q/A...
Wayne Snyder, MCDBA, SQL Server MVP
Mariner, Charlotte, NC
www.mariner-usa.com
(Please respond only to the newsgroups.)
I support the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS) and it's
community of SQL Server professionals.
www.sqlpass.org
"Jamie" <Jamie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9D722171-D94A-429D-B989-71ECBEE2EFCD@.microsoft.com...
> Hi there,
> I'm a SQL Server professional, specialising in DTS & Analysis Services. I
have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5,
Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
> I read everywhere at the moment that SQL Server professionals need to
start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its
about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity
about the "new world" of .Net.
> What is the best way to start for someone with my background? A SQL
Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
> thanks in advance
> Jamie Thomson
>
|||Jamie,
if you're already familiar with VB 5/6 then I highly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...043104-6361455
Regards,
Paul Ibison
|||Thank you to all. Some very useful information there.
I shall check out Andy's link immediately. Kalen, I'll keep a check on your site as well.
Thanks again all.
"Wayne Snyder" wrote:

> I agree with Kalen, than Fernando would do an excellent job... You might
> also try out some books like the Hitchihikers guide ( if there is a version
> for Dot. Net.)
> Companies like Learnkey also provide CD, and video based training
> (www.learnkey.com)...
> Getting involved with a local dot net group would be helpful as well.. (
> Perhaps INETA (www.ineta.org) )
> And (for sure) surf the Dot net newsgroups as your main forum for Q/A...
> --
> Wayne Snyder, MCDBA, SQL Server MVP
> Mariner, Charlotte, NC
> www.mariner-usa.com
> (Please respond only to the newsgroups.)
> I support the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS) and it's
> community of SQL Server professionals.
> www.sqlpass.org
> "Jamie" <Jamie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9D722171-D94A-429D-B989-71ECBEE2EFCD@.microsoft.com...
> have an appreciation of a few development tools such as Visual Basic v5,
> Java, C++ although have never developed anything in anger using them.
> start getting up to speed with .Net in advance of Yukon and I figured its
> about time I started doing the same. I also want to satisfy my own curiosity
> about the "new world" of .Net.
> Server-centric learning curve would be preferable.
>
>