Hello, i am new, and guess what !!

I have a question,

I am about to start a big web site, containg all sorts of pics and vids, and other rubbish, I can do the normal HTML, and I am going to borrow a nice java fading menu, but there are 2 things I want that i dont know how to do,


Online shopping list: - just a list of clothes ,cds and other studenty rubbish i am going to buy in the near future, would like this to be seen by anyone but only have me to update it, with new items , and also grey out items i have bought,


Forum/Guest list type, i know you can host these with external companies but how do you make your own??


I am quite handy with visual basic programming but never done much programming for the web, i am taking an 'Internet Programming' Module in my third year of uni, coming up in september but it would be nice to get a head start!

Thanks for any advice!

to do online shopping and forum / guestbook type applications require more than just HTML and javascript - you must use a language like ASP or PHP

If you know VB then you should be able to use ASP, what type of hosting have you got? windows or *nix?

I'd say look at a portal type system, unless your goal is to write everything yourself. They'll do almost everything you're looking for.
There's PHP and ASP based portals (PHPnuke,etc), so first decide on what type of server you're going to be using (Unix or Windows) then look for something that'll run on it.

The server is windows, so do i have to use microsoft ASP coded pages?

Also what is ASP .net, just the newer version?

Yes and yes!

ASP.net is not really a newer version of ASP... its completely different. But it is supposed to replace ASP in the next 3000 years or so...

Its not completely different at all dude... have you used it?

It is pretty much normal ASP, but on steroids. It's object model has been totally beefed up, and is fully object oriented. It supports all the things you would expect from an objected oriented language such as inheritance, overloading, etc

If you looked at page of asp.net code, and a page of ASP code, you would see the striking simalarity.

If anyone here codes ASP like me and uses mainly classes, then that is about as close to ASP.NET as is possible, and certainly the best way to code classic ASP if there is a chance it will one day get ported to .NET

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right ok, had a quick look around, can anyone suggest any good books or sites for learning asp?

i must admit it does look like my vb knowledge will come in handy, is it best to go straight in at the '.net' deep end or progress through normal ASP and then migrate slowly to .net,

this is all helping me loads! Thanks!

oh also, if i install IIS on my xp pro machine, can i view the pages as i would on my web server?

yes

and see the "sticky" topic in the asp development forum for the best book...

book is bought! I better read it aswell for twenty quid! along with my logie baird biography and spaced DVD box set!

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:<hr height="1" noshade="noshade" id="quote" />[i]Originally posted by simontheu[/i]

oh also, if i install IIS on my xp pro machine, can i view the pages as i would on my web server?<hr height="1" noshade="noshade" id="quote" /></blockquote id="quote">

Yes thats correct, if you need any help setting up IIS and viewing pages, start a new topic!

IIS is quite confusing to set up... so you might well need help!

well i should try it tonight with a bit of example code i have sniffed out, and if i am unsuccessful, new topic will begin tomorrow!

thanks all again