Programing Guidance

[stuaz]

Hi,

To give you guys a bit of background:

I am currently working as a Support manager in a primarily Unix based company, which runs database software on Unix servers. My knowledge of Unix is quite good now compared to a few years ago when i knew nearly nothing. Most of this has been self taught (Be it in a work environment), I tend to work best by trial and error - i know not the smartest way!

I have a decent knowledge of Unix root scripting, however one part of the company is moving to VB apps for client machines - I learnt VB6 back at College and know the basics of C#. I have a fair grasp of HTML and CSS but mainly on the bases i can read the code to a good understanding and write basic apps in them.

So as you can see i have a very overview of programing but nothing really in depth. I want to learn C# in a lot more detail especially in connection to SQL servers.

I want to be able to support these systems without having to go back to the programmers, plus I am quite motivated to learning a new language and getting a proper grasp of Windows programming. However i am mainly a self taught person.

I am not entially sure where i am going with my career so I am trying to keep doors open and not limit myself to particular areas.

So my question is, does anyone know of any good Website Tutorials to do with C# in connection with writing data to and from an SQL server. The basics really as I only played with Access and VB6 but access isn't really dynamic on where i want to go.

Thanks for reading and for your replies.

 

[jaeusm]

So my question is, does anyone know of any good Website Tutorials to do with C# in connection with writing data to and from an SQL server.

For learning C# and .NET, this is a good list of resources:
http://www.amazon.com/Learn-NET-and-C#/lm/R2WVUOKK28WY8E/ref=cm_lm_pdp_title_full

For SQL and ASP.NET stuff, just do a search for it at amazon. I can't really recommend website tutorials because they only provide a superficial level of understanding. Those tutorials are only beneficial for refreshing your memory or picking up a piece of problem-specific knowledge once you've thoroughly learned the underlying material.

However i am mainly a self taught person.

As is every professional programmer.

 

[stuaz]

Thanks for your response.

I was looking at some of the Sams self teach books, as i have used them in the past.

Is ASP.NET a requirement with the learning of SQL integration? As i heard this was a relatively dead language. With other web languages taking more of its chunk of the market.

 

[jaeusm]

ASP is not the same thing as ASP.NET -- the latter being a platform. If your company is writing web apps using C#, then you're using the ASP.NET platform. SQL and ASP.NET tend to go hand-in-hand, unless your database is not web accessible. Also, you might want to explore ADO.NET.

 

[stuaz]

The apps won't be web accessible but just over the local lan/vpn to offices.

Thanks for clearing up that confusion though

I found this book at work:

Amazon.co.uk: Sams Teach Yourself the C# Language in 21 Days (Sams Teach Yourself in 21 Days): Bradley L Jones: Books

So i'm going to see if its any good.