ASP.NET is the newest generation of Active Server Pages from Microsoft. More than a mere upgrade, it's designed to support the development of dynamic and data-driven web applications and web services in much the same way Visual Basic enabled the rapid development of Microsoft Windows desktop applications.For those experienced with previous versions of ASP or the .NET platform, ASP.NET in a Nutshell is an invaluable resource that goes beyond the published documentation to highlight little-known details, stress practical uses for particular features, and provide real-world examples that show how features can be used in a working application. ASP.NET in a Nutshell uses Visual Basic .NET for the many examples.Unlike other books, it distills what is a large and comparatively complicated subject into a tutorial and reference that is useful for both learning essential concepts and daily reference. This book covers application and web service development, custom controls, data access, security, deployment, and error handling. There's also an overview of the web-related namespaces in the .NET Framework Class Library.Like other books in the "In a Nutshell" series, ASP.NET in a Nutshell offers the facts, including critical background information, in a no-nonsense manner that users will refer to again and again. It is a detailed reference that enables even experienced web developers to advance their ASP.NET applications to new levels.