Can I get OSQL if I install SQL Server Client Tools?

Choosing Training To Get From MS Access and VBA to Writing Website Applications.

• My situation is that I have a number of years experience of developing applications in MS Access including the use of VBA and I want to move towards developing applications that can be used over the internet. So I am looking for training courses so I can learn what I need to learn. The problem is knowing what it is I need to learn. It's like I know I want to build a house, but should I learn bricklaying or carpentry? I think Microsoft .Net sounds like the right thing, but I can't figure out whether it is or not and have no idea how to find out. I have tried the Microsoft website, but found it difficult to find my way around and it was aimed at those who knew all about it already. I have looked at Learning Tree and they have a wide range of courses that are probably suitable, but it is still difficult to really find out which technology will give me the tools to do what I want to do. I want to avoid paying a lot of money for a training course and then find that it wasn't something that helps me do what I want to do. Particularly I am looking to develop applications: - that have similar or greater capabilities to MS Access, - that are useable over the internet as well as corprorate intranets and extranets, (perhaps including cyber cafes). - where user's do not need to install software in the conventional sense, but just go to a URL, register and log in, - that are similar in look and feel to the best of the internet shopping, web e-mail sites, etc. (although I don't expect to be working on those specific applications). Choosing the right course to learn about something new can be problematic - if I don't know .NET how can I know that .NET is the right approach and which are the right courses for me. I would really appreciate guidance you can find out. Knowing how to identify the right approach would be good, but these extra points would be useful too: - which courses are suitable? - which sequence should I attend them in? - how much practice time should I build into my schedule between courses to make sure I get the most out of each of them? - Are there any potential gaps I haven't identified - e.g. back ends like SQL Server? Many thanks in advance for your help.

• Answer:

  Hi abclondon-ga, While researching your request I noticed there were a few reasons why you may have to put in a little extra effort to make the type of transition you described. Your intuition was correct regarding Microsoft's .NET Framework as the next logical step. A great way to see the big picture here is to take a look at Microsoft's .NET Career Roadmap (you will need Acrobat Reader to view this URL): http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/roadmap/roadmap.pdf Assessing your experience using this roadmap placed you in the Rapid Application Development Category (due to your familiarity with VBA and Access). The next step is to learn the .NET Framework, and you can actually do this using the VBA concepts you already know. The language in particular that you would be working in is Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. Once you've become familiar with the framework, you can being to focus on the new direction you need to take. The roadmap conveniently splits up all the types of positions that .NET can be applied to based on function and skills required. I have chosen the "Web Application Developer" role for you since it most closely meets your goals: Web Application Developer Develops online applications that communicate with remote components and XML Web services (ASP .NET, Web Forms, server controls, DHTML, XML, XSLT, Web services, XPath) http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/roadmap/roadmap.pdf Your concern regarding SQL Server and other backend skills should not be a major one - you are best off gaining the competencies associated with a specific role rather than trying to be a "jack of all trades". Now that we have narrowed down your goals, we can find the appropriate training in your area that will help you gain these skills. To do this, we need to tap into Microsoft's directory of certified training providers (who are located all over the world). We will also need to look at the standard courses that are available for each of the technologies listed above. To get started we go to the "Find Training" section of Microsoft's Learning site: http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/find/findcourse.asp MS CERTIFIED TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTERS (UK) Since I don't know where in the UK you are located, I will give you the comprehensive list of MCTECs (you can always narrow it down by going to the above link and changing the search parameters to include your city): Azlan Ltd Azlan Training Azlan House Mulberry Business Park Fishponds Road Wokingham, Berks RG41 2GY GBR 0118-9897713 QA PLC QA PLC St James House 10 Rosebery Avenue Holborn London, EC1R 4TD GBR 0870-9060090 Pygmalion Computer Group Latham House 16 Minories London, London EC3N 1AX GBR 020-76809599 Parity Training Alton House 177 High Holborn London, LONDON WC1V 7AA GBR 020-76328700 ICS Solutions LTD .NET Solutions Campus Skippetts House Skippetts Lane Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 3HP GBR 01256-403800 BIC Systems Ltd B.I.C. Systems Ltd Enterprise House 201 Airport Road West Sydenham Business Park Belfast, N. Ireland BT3 9ED GBR 02890-532200 F1 Computing Systems Limited F1 Developer Training Solutions 4-10 Heneage Lane City of London London, London EC3A 5DQ GBR 0800-1691890 Parity Training Unit 7, Beecon House Technology Park Belfast Road Antrim, NORTHERN IRELAND BT41 1QS GBR 020-85456400 Parity Training Maybrook House 40 Blackfriars Street Manchester, MANCHESTER M3 2EG GBR 020-85456400 Parity Training Minley Road Fleet Mills Ancells Business Park Fleet, HAMPSHIRE GU51 2RD GBR 0208-5456400 http://directory.microsoft.com/ResourceDirectory/Training.aspx?DirectLink=true&LanguageID=25 RELEVANT CLASSROOM COURSES Below is a list of courses that are relevant to your defined career path. Keep in mind that I am not saying that you should take all of the. The course offerings have been packaged in different ways and are overlapping in some cases. The objective here is to learn the skills that we defined for you above. I have tried to reduce the redundancy as much as possible. I have also included my opinion (in square brackets) of how important I think the individual courses are to your development Before undertaking these courses, do note that HTML and DHTML are a prerequisite for 2310 (this is a fairly simple topic that your can grasp with a good book on your own): Course 2415: Programming with the Microsoft® .NET Framework (Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET) [REQUIRED] Summary: This course will provide developers with a hands-on tour of the Microsoft .NET Framework and tutorials about working with assemblies, versioning, the common type system, memory management, file and network I/O, serialization, remoting and web services. Audience: Developer Delivery Method: Online-Instructor led, Classroom http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/syllabi/2415BFinal.asp Course 2310: Developing Microsoft ASP.NET Web Applications Using Visual Studio .NET [REQUIRED] Summary: This course will teach students how to use Visual Studio .NET to create an ASP.NET application that delivers dynamic content to the Web. Audience: Business Decision Maker, Developer Delivery Method: Classroom http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/syllabi/2310BFinal.asp 2524: Developing XML Web Services Using Microsoft ASP.NET [HIGHLY RECOMMENDED] Summary: This course teaches experienced software developers how Web Services can be used in solving common problems in the distributed application domain. This course teaches developers how to architect and design applications to take advantage of the new archite Audience: Developer Delivery Method: Classroom http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/syllabi/2524Cfinal.asp Note that for each course listed, there are typically numerous MCTECs in your area offering the course. Specific times and locations can be found by searching from the individual course links. There is also far more detail in each of the course pages that I have not posted here for conciseness. All the course listed above should be taken in that order - I view them to be direct prerequisites. I hope I have covered all the aspects of your question - should you have any problems understanding the information above please do ask for clarification :) Cheers! answerguru-ga