Hello,
I know everyone hates the phrase Ajax, but has anyone seen the new plug-in for asp.net. You really can't not be impressed by it all, especially those beavering away hard at it with dynamic database content in java or php

http://ajax.asp.net/default.aspx?tabid=47
just click on the 'scotts to do list', or it's here
http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/f/6/0f651a0f-6f2b-4497-b061-e1b2825e22e0/MSAJAX-ToDoList.wmv

Watch the video and tell me you weren't inspired. You're probably talking a good day or more to do that much functionality in php or java.

I'm talking the whole thing, creating a dynamic database driven page with asyncronous updating of the page.

I haven't quite fallen asleep yet... So far I'm thinking, "I'd already be done with my PHP based framework." I'll keep waiting for something cool to happen.

Update #1: Woah, they are copying and pasting huge chunks of code and leaving duplicates everywhere. I hope that's not common practice.

Update #2: I loved how he made sure to emphasize a couple times NOT to put a sleep(2) on your production server.

I am completely unimpressed by the video. The method he was using was hardly maintainable and was simply copy and pasting a bunch of crap that made the source horrible to read. I'd have to actually implement something that didn't look like a nerdy front-end to a database to be impressed.

Maybe someday I'll put together a similar video showing how to do it using a real man's method, which includes actually having a clue about what's going on in the background.

I'll get my coat then

I know it's all noddy code, but the principle remains the same, that you can be far more productive inside visual studio due to the integration between the ide, the code, the wizards and the other tools (such as the data modeller, etc).

I agree with Matthew. Using the tool vs not using the tool is about the same level of complexity. Only by not using the tool you actually learn whats going on as opposed to... learning the tool.

Sure, it's a great benefit. For MS, at least .

I thought Ajax was a dutch football club

Stupid LISP Isn't Server Pages...

Eh, AJAX isn't hard. This is handy.

1. LISP is not stupid. Those who don't understand it are doomed to re-invent it.

2. My comment has nothing to do with ASP.

Being a .NET person I've been impressed with atlas/ajax since I first saw it.

You can cause user controls, etc to do invisible posts to the server without mucking each other up, make your datagrids etc not require post backs for things like "edit" -- a text box will just show up... --- all this WITHOUT changing any of your applications existing code...

All I had to do was create a script manager, throw it on the page -- put the controls I wanted to not post back inside of an update panel (basically a div) and I was done. Adding ajax to an existing program that doesn't already have it probably takes under 2 minutes per page.... (I'd like to say ~30 seconds, but I wanted to be safe...)

I've written my own client side ajax code before, and that was easy for what it did, but the integration with asp.net is a lot smoother...

That's crazyness! You most certainly do need to know when to use an anchor and when to use a LinkButton, or when to processes form input in user code, or when to check for validation. Despite anyone's best efforts to the contrary, you still need to know the difference between a GET and a POST.