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Ramp Quickly with Step-by-Step Resources for Web Development

There has never been a more exciting time to develop applications for the Web. Microsoft has a rich and evolving set of tools for robust, dynamic online experiences, including AJAX, Silverlight, MVC and more. There are so many innovative technologies out there – but getting up to speed can be a serious hassle. You can waste tons of time rummaging through hundreds of websites, articles and blogs, just to find something that actually helps.

This section identifies some of the more common, on-the-job Web development scenarios and everyday tasks. We’ve sorted through the slush pile to pick the top resources, organized in a step-by-step format to help you learn quickly.

We’ll continue to add more scenarios, so check back regularly and email us with suggestions at thrivedv@microsoft.com.



Building Striking Web Sites with Audio, Video, and Animation with Silverlight

If your job involves building or maintaining Web sites, chances are that eventually you’ll be asked to add a little polish to your Web properties, from adding a simple video from the CEO or including a complex animated tool for analyzing information stored in a database. Whatever the request, Microsoft® Silverlight™ offers the tools you need to develop rich Internet applications. Here are some resources to help you get started.


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Silverlight: Introduction and Overview Adding Video to Your Site Getting Started with Expression Blend, the UI Design Tool for Silverlight Moving, Changing, and Growing: Introduction to Silverlight Animation Communicating between Silverlight and JavaScript Transferring Data to and from Silverlight through Web Services Using Silverlight with PHP and Other Technologies Going Deeper Must-Have Resources

Building Data-Driven Web Sites using ASP.NET and AJAX

Web sites and applications are becoming increasingly popular as the interface for displaying and interacting with business systems and databases. Early on, these applications might have been built with dynamically generated Web pages as a whole; now, as a foundation of Web 2.0, Asynchronous Javascript and XML (AJAX) lets you build dynamic Web pages that can be updated quickly and without refreshing. Microsoft ASP.NET includes several features that make developing compelling Web experiences fast and easy. Here’s how to get started.


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Extending Your Intranet Applications: Building on SharePoint

Companies all over the world use Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server as their intranet solution, made popular in part by its ability to be customized and extended to meet the customer's specific needs. SharePoint provides a rich infrastructure to develop tailored line-of-business applications that can streamline internal processes, connect team members, and make important information easily available. We have some great resources to get you started.


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Web Site Security: The Best Offense is Defensive Coding

It seems like a week doesn't go by without word of a company's credit card database being compromised or a bank's customers being tricked by a phishing attack. These sorts of incidents are all too common and to help you avoid these types of incidents, we've collected some resources to help you understand the risks and avoid some common pitfalls.


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Coding for the Whole Web: Compatibility, Accessibility, and Languages

Building a Web site or application can be so easy that many developers often forget the variety of users who could be viewing it. Some users might be using a different browser than the one you tested with during development, or they might be visually impaired and using a screen reader or a Braille terminal. Plus, the site might need to be accessible in multiple languages, so users across the world can access it. Here are some resources to help you build Web sites and applications that can be enjoyed by all users.


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Web Development


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Microsoft Visual Studio Express Editions

Visual Studio Express Editions

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Build your best projects yet with Express Editions from the Visual Studio product line. These free versions are a great way to expand your skills and get familiar with the Visual Studio platform. Better yet, they’re easy to install, download in just 10 minutes, and cover both Web and Windows client scenarios. Download today >>


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