Double Feature: ASP.NET Ajax and Silverlight

ASP.NET Ajax is a supplement to the ASP.NET 2.0 framework (and now integrated into ASP.NET 3.5) for building richer, more interactive Web applications. This new Web development framework from Microsoft provides both client-side and server-side components for closing the gap between web and desktop user interfaces. The accompanying Microsoft Ajax Libraries include a browser-neutral client script library that is easily integrated with existing Web applications (including ASP.NET 1.* and non-.NET sites), improving response times and enhancing UIs with DHTML and Javascript features that in the past would have taken enormous development efforts and extensive client-side knowledge. ASP.NET 2.0 applications can take advantage of the Ajax Extensions server-side features to further enhance their UIs, often through simple markup. This course walks you through the components of ASP.NET Ajax, asks you to build a number of Ajax-enabled ASP.NET applications, and shows how best to leverage the capabilities of the extensions to make your clients' experience a richer one.

Silverlight is the Microsoft solution for delivering rich, cross-platform, interactive experiences including video, audio, animation, and graphics for the Web and beyond. Utilizing a subset of Xaml (eXtensible Application Markup Language)-based Windows Presentation Foundation technology, Silverlight enables the creation of content and applications that run within multiple browsers and across multiple operating systems (Windows and Macintosh) with a standard programming model. Consistent with Web architecture, the Xaml markup is programmable using JavaScript and works well with (but does not require the presence of) ASP.NET Ajax. This course covers both the 1.0 release of Silverlight, as well as the future version 2 release which includes a client-side version of the .NET CLR hosted in the browser (the class will use the most recent public release of version 2). Attendees will develop a deep understanding of the Microsoft Silverlight, gain valuable insights into using Silverlight to build rich internet applications that integrate with their existing .NET solutions, and understand the complete features sets of each release of Silverlight.