ASP.NET vs. VB.NET

[soonerpgh]

I have a question for anyone who has used both of these languages. I am building a project that is basically an inventory tracking and budget management tool for a state agency. I am running into all kinds of issues with ASP not having the functionality that I want. Perhaps it is the issue with the programmer not knowing how to make the tool work, but the result is the same.

My question is this:

How much more difficult is it to build the application in VB.NET and pass the data back and forth over the web to the database stored on a server in a different location? Is that a viable solution or is ASP the best tool for the job? I don't want to store a copy of the database on their local machine or even a server at their location, if possible. Since VB is more what I am used to, how hard would it be for me to build the app, load it onto their systems as an executable application, and then push the data back and forth between the two locations?

[Shashi Sadasivan]

Asp .Net is a framework (which relates to the .Net framework specific for web applications) VB .Net and C# are the mainstream languages that you program with to utlize this framework.

I havent had any experience with ASP , and being a C# programmer, I think the transition from VB to VB .Net (which is now also known as VB 9.0) is definitely a leap.
There is no issue with database updation or manipulating data to/from a database with .Net
However .Net can make it easier. To connect to a database you dont need both the web or windows application in the same physical server as the database (you can change that by the conection string).

If you are a VB and not a VB .Net programmer, it will take a while for you to get used to the framework.
For building windows applications (exe's) it isitn that hard, and the database connectivity and manipulation will be easier, but there will be a learning curve involved. Certainly at the end of it you will realise you did a lot less work than what it would have been if it was a pure VB application

[deric]

It will depend on your other project requirements. Like, if it needs to be installed on the client's machine that is connected in a network then build a windows application, whereas if you need the application to be portable then do it as a web application where anybody anywhere could access the server.

I dont have experience developing a windows application using VB.NET, so I cannot tell if it's difficult or not but for sure, you can do your project with it. With that, you can let your application connect to a server and communicate with it to store and retrieve data into it.

Now, if you choose to make it as a web application, then you need a server scripting language so that you can communicate with your server. That is what ASP.NET is all about. Your project can't be simply made with ASP.NET alone; you need other tools like VB.NET for your application's front-end functionalities.

[soonerpgh]

Thanks for the responses. The powers that be want it to continue in ASP for now, but I will look into VB.NET for future in-house applications since that is my background.

Wish me luck, it's back to work on the ASP.Net.