Where to go from here?

.NET study idea's

[johnyfav]

For the last 3 years I have, by crook or by hook, been programming commercial web sites and applications using ASP.

The problem I have always had is that I have been self taught in everything I do.

Now I want to progress my abilities and move to .net (as well as getting some xml knowledge). Where do I go now?

Would you say more self study? Or a course? Can anyone recommend any literature?

Thanking you in advance for any help.

[Balloon]

I'm also self taught. I personally think that the best way to learn to do stuff is to do it! Set yourself a project that you know you won't be able to do, and teach yourself the skills you need to do it as you go along.

The only trouble with this is that you will inevitably end up with something that isn't written very well. The good thing is, though, that you'll have come accross loads of problems which you'll know how to solve better the first time. Your debugging skills will be right up there, and you'll get a better understanding of how to put things together in the real world.

That said, I also spend quite a bit of time reading MSDN articles and books to learn how things work 'under the bonnet'.

My local book shop has a coffee shop in it - so I grab a coffee whilst looking through a few books until I decide which one suits me best. Certain people like certain writing styles - this is a good way to make sure you get a book you'll actually read!

Good Luck,
- Chris

[txbakers]

I offer the same advice - Just do It (copyright Nike).

I did buy the Murach ASP.NET book and thought it was the best I had seen. Very clear examples, but it still won't cover everything - you have to bring your imagination to it.

Most of the online tutorials for .NET I have found and worked through ahve been way to basic to be useful.

[Easy_Coder]

Expert C# Business Objects (Rocky Lohtka) is spectacular... I highly recommend this book.

[johnyfav]

Thanks alot for your idea's guys!

England tends not to have things like book store's with coffee shops in them. Although if I had the money it would do ;)

So my choices are:

Try to do something I can't do.

Get mentioned books.

Go to the US for the rest of my life.

Avoid the internet tutourials.

Create a chain of book stores with coffee shops in.

I think the second one wins it. Although 3 and 5 look good too.

Hey, I can dream right?

[topr8]

>>>England tends not to have things like book store's with coffee shops in them.

yes it does, or maybe i'll rephrase that, if you are in london then all the major bookshop chains now have at least some stores with coffee shops in them, great for hanging out in esp if you like bored housewives :)

mi nd you i'm in the same position, i'm wanting to jump to .NET, but i keep reading about the impending release of 2.0, does it make sense to learn on the betas of that framework, what is the timescale for the release? trouble is of course there are no books for 2.0

[johnyfav]

Sorry I should have added outside of the capital/large cities.

And the further north you go the more likely that there are either -

No book shops

or

Book shops with bars in.

;o)

[Balloon]

Hey - I'm in sunny Gloucestershire, we have an Ottakars in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester - both with Coffee shops.

If you haven't got one "up north", perhaps you could take a flask along?

;o)

- Chris

[johnyfav]

I never have been able to master cappuccino from a flask.......

Believe me, I have tried!

I'm banned from 2 waterstones because of the mess I made!

;o)