So, where do you go from here? To begin with, check the new ASP.NET created by Microsoft. The .NET framework was developed by Microsoft in order to integrate the new software and technologies, particularly the powerful XML. So, now there is a Visual Studio .NET, and plenty of things to do with it.

You can download the entire .NET SDK (a little over 100 MB), or just the parts of it you plan to use. Once you install it, you'll see that it doesn't affect your regular ASP applications, they continue working just as well. Moreover, it uses different file extensions (.aspx is the most common), so it won't overwrite your other ASP files. This also means that regular ASP and ASP.NET do not share information – for instance, an ASP application will use the Global.asa file, while the ASP.NET application will use the Global.asax file, even when they are installed on the same machine and perform the same function. You can continue writing your code in Notepad, you don't need anything fancy for the .NET applications.

Perhaps the most obvious application for the ASP is that of setting up e-commerce sites, or web sites for newspapers and magazines, because it is so easy to handle security issues, multiple users and quick updates. You can also organize a download center, or web-based file manager, you can insert a poll or a virtual voting booth on your site, a guestbook, you can insert and control banners and ads, handle the statistics about the number of people visiting or even create your own online games. You will find on the Internet free codes that will help you considerably… so, from this moment on, the choice is yours!