Full software requirements for XP Home

Hi!

I am a student teacher who wants to futuristically create dynamic

websites featuring communication and information for both students and

parents, which link to my teacher records (grades and student portfolio

evidence documents). I am an absolute beginner to Dynamic Websites.

I am able to create static webpages in Dreamweaver MX together with

multimedia, rollovers, tables, buttons etc (I have the basic suite -

not ColdFusion). I have XP Home SP2 and all current updates,

which appears to include .Net Framework 1.1 sp1. I am running

Trend 2007 firewall. I do have basic (but old) database knowledge

and can create strings in Excel to manipulate cell data. Other

than that I learned to program in BASIC about 25 years ago (I wrote

several games such as TICTACTOE etc - so I sort of know how programing

operates. However, other than that I have never learned to

actually program or code. I'm not opposed to learning; however, I suspect that from scratch this is quite an undertaking.

I would like to install the free 'Express' packages...after searching

the web in a confused and looping mannar to find out exactly what I

need to install (and how) etc. I have investigated PHP, MySQL

etc, as well as copious quantities of .Net and ASP.Net through the

microsoft website and forums, and macromedia and other beginner

tutorials.

This is what I understand I will have to do:

install webmatrix as a web server to provide local ability to test and view my dynamic web pages.

install .Net Framework 2.0 (I only have 1.1 currently)

install SQL Express as an application side-server (I have downloaded MySQL as a database - not yet installed).

install VWD Express

install VB Express

install either C#, C++ Express (I've read that Java is not wonderfully secure or some such)

install MySQL database (I also do need a DB, don't I? - I've done

some basic tutorials and this appears easy enough to learn - I only

have Student/Teacher Office 2003, so no Access (and I can't afford to

purchase on a poor student budget)).

Is this correctt? Have I covered it all (when Micromedia MX is

included)? Is this the correct installation order? Have I

doubled up anywhere? Have I done my homework efficiently?

There appears to be a conglomeration of information, but no step by

step instructions as to exactly what is needed in order to create

dynamic webpages that are testable and viewable and exactly what order

to install them on. And lastly, will this enable me to create the

type of thing I have described as per above? Which language

should I choose - C# or C++ - I understand that C++ provides more

controlled functionality - however, isn't C# newer?

Precise answers to my queries, and advice for my misconceptions would be greatly appreciated.

PS - beginner - please don't use jargonistic language.

Thanks

Fran...

Hello Fran,

I have a few things to suggest :

1) Instead of MySQL database, I would recommend SQL Express (available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/)

2) VWD Express allows you to create web applications locally by using a file share. This doesnt require you to install any webserver at all and yet you can get the real feel of a website while you are developing your application. Later you can host by buying space from a provider. You can read more about the ASP.NET Development Web Server on VWD here : http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vwd/features/deploy/default.aspx

My suggested installation sequence :

1) install .NET Framework 2.0
2) install VWD Express
3) install VB Express
4) install C# (it's easy and cool)
5) install SQL Express

Hope that helps,

Amol.

|||

Hi Fran,

SQL Express and MySQL are both databases, you don't need both of them. Since MySQL is not a Microsoft product, I would, of course, recomend that you go with SQL Express. As others have indicated, you really only need the .NET Framework 2.0, SQL Express and Visual Web Developer Express to create web sites. VWD allows you to write code in either VB.NET or C#, you don't have to install them separately.

Since you're new to all this, you might want to check out some of the learning resources available out there:

VWD Express Video Learning series

Starter Kits - I don't see exactly what you're doing in this set, but you might get some ideas from the pre-made applications.

ASP.NET site - This site has samples, forums and educational materials focused on web application development. (Probably the best place to post questions about web development as you get started.)

Hope this gets you off to a good start.

Mike

|||Hi Amol and Mike,

Thank you so much for your replies. I have surfed the web and

filled my head with info for the last two days in order to gain enough

information to gain a fuzzy understanding of how websites work and what

type of software is required to accomplish dynamic pages. A whole

new ballgame to static pages, isn't it! I learned the basics of

dreamweaver through one of my teaching subjects - a type of ICT

introductory subject where we were required to write a website.

The result, to my surprise, was not that much more difficult than

creating a multimedia word page. We were given Macromedia and

pretty much left to ourselves to discover how to create the extras such

as clickable images, rollovers and flashmedia stuff. Those of us

who shared our experiences and swapped mutual help learned heaps.

I hope to use embed the use of technology in my future classroom.

Part of a teacher's job (in Australia, anyway) is to educate not only

children, but parents from afar and communicate freely and regularly

with parents so that a partnership is formed with respect to the

child. Teachers are also required to keep record evidence of

their childrens' work. I intend to do this technologically,

keeping portfolios and continual examples of the childrens work in some

type of database (it would have to have the ability to store multimedia

files or link to them), these would link to associated grades data,

associated lesson plans and curriculum, and any other records

appropriate for teachers and classrooms. I thought that if I

could use the same database for all, then I could choose particular

records to be available for both parents and (for learning motivational

reasons) children. This is the futuristic and ultimate goal.

This leads to questions about security (the initial thing that lead me

to discover about dynamic websites and databases - databases are

required for secure and individual logins).

Anyway, I know this is not the forum for such ramblings; however this

type of requirement for teachers is relatively new. Perhaps there

is a niche in the market that Microsoft may like to think about -

teacher records of student works coupled with communication with

parents - software that enables this to occur. I have surfed the

net and found ONE package that supports teacher websites where

communication via forum and grade database can occur, however it does

not appear to LINK to a wholistic teacher database as I have described

(of course, there are copious software available for grade records -

but this is no longer really the only records teachers are required to

keep, and therefore obselete).

THANK YOU so much, microsoft for making software such as this available

for those who wish to make a start in participation on the WWW. I

am astounded that you offer this for free. My opinion of

microsoft has just soared!! I will probably upgrade to the fully

functional purchased software when I have completed my degree (and have

an income to - sort of - skite about). By then I will hopefully

have the knowledge to create my ideas into practical reality (and

justify the investment).

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

A very motivated and excited student!!

Fran...|||

Hi Fran,

If you haven't already, you should explore the Microsoft Education portal available here. We have solutions for a number of different scenarios that use combinations of Microsoft and other vendors technology. It's always fun to learn something new by doing, there are also important concerns related to security, etc. as you point out. You may find that we already have technology solutions in place that would give you the infrastructure to do what you need while allowing you to focus on the important job of creating the content for your online interactions with students and parents.

Have fun!

Mike