For Web Developers interested in developing database-driven websites using the Microsoft Stack, you may be interested in a new web development tool by Microsoft, called WebMatrix.
WebMatrix is completely free and includes a pretty nice web development IDE and development environment that allows a developer to build database-driven websites using ASP.NET, the new ASP.NET Razor View Engine, the new IIS Developer Express lightweight web-server, and a new lightweight, file-based version of SQL Server, called SQL Server Compact Edition. It is a pretty tight 15MB download, unless you don't have the .NET 4 Framework, which makes it a 50MB Download. Currently WebMatrix is in beta and you can get the bits here.
If you are a PHP Developer and have been looking for a cost-effective and easy way to learn or begin developing .NET Websites for clients on Windows, WebMatrix is a nice way to jump into IIS and ASP.NET Development. In addition to downloading WebMatrix, you will probably want to check out numerous screencasts to help you learn more about it. Check out the WebMatrix Screencasts here.
David Hayden
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