"This fast-paced book looks like an ideal way to jumpstart your ASP.NET 2.0 experience. It has coverage of all of the new bits and had me tapping away at my keyboard in no time."
         —Darren Neimke, Microsoft MVP-ASP.NET

"The new features in ASP.NET 2.0 will amaze and astound you, and these authors have methodically outlined the features with clear and concise examples. An absolute must for your library!"
         —Ronda Pederson, consultant

"These authors take the pain out of getting up to speed on the many new features in the ASP.NET 2.0 beta."
         —Ken Cox, Microsoft MVP-ASP.NET
             and ASP.NET Developer

"A clear and concise, yet thorough, introduction to new and improved features that are set to take the Web development community by storm in ASP.NET 2.0. An excellent resource for any ASP.NET developer."
         —Olga Londer, Microsoft MVP-IIS/CMS
             and Principal Technologist, QA

"ASP.NET 2.0 is not just a minor update. It allows you to create Web applications in an entirely new way. Just reading the chapter on the new membership and security features of ASP.NET 2.0 will make this book worth your while."
         —Douglas Reilly, MVP-ASP.NET
             Access Microsystems Inc.

"There's a large 'wow' factor to this book, which, coupled with the well-worded text and excellent examples, makes you wish the final release wasn't just out of reach."
         —Dan Maharry, .NET Developers Journal

"I would highly recommend A First Look at ASP.NET v. 2.0 to existing ASP.NET developers. The topic is exciting and the authors did a great job of covering the bases in an enjoyable and easy-to-follow format."
         —Scott Forsyth, Microsoft MVP-ASP/ASP.NET,
             Director of IT, Orcsweb.com

"Those of us lucky enough to attend PDC or have an MSDN universal subscription can access the ASP.NET 2.0 alpha. For the rest of the world with an interest in 'Whidbey,' the next best thing to the actual bits is this book."
         —Scott Cate, Senior Engineer,
             myKB.com Corporation

"I couldn't wait to get my hands on this new title--not only does it open with Scott Guthrie's foreword, but it includes a chapter on caching by Rob Howard and features the exceptional writing talents of Alex Homer and Dave Sussman."
         —Rob Chartier, Microsoft MVP-ASP/ASP.NET

"The authors have worked closely with the ASP.NET team at Microsoft to make sure that this book is authoritative, accurate, and informative. Anyone using ASP.NET will find a wealth of useful info on the next version."

         —Scott Guthrie, Product Unit Manager, Web Platform and Tools Team, Microsoft

In this book, three world-class ASP.NET experts present a start-to-finish, developer-focused preview of Microsoft's latest Web development breakthrough: ASP.NET 2.0.

The first book to fully reflect the new ASP.NET 2.0 Beta, ASP.NET v. 2.0—The Beta Version identifies powerful new best practices for ASP.NET development. It will give you a jumpstart in creating new applications, optimizing their performance, extending them to mobile environments, improving their accessibility, and simplifying their deployment and management.

Drawing on their unsurpassed experience and unfettered access to Microsoft's ASP.NET development team, the authors cover every significant platform enhancement. Using realistic code examples, they illuminate improvements in data access, user-interface development, portals, personalization, security, and many other areas.

Coverage includes:

• Using ASP.NET 2.0's new Visual Web Developer and administration tools
• Simplifying database integration with "code-free" data binding and new data source controls
• Using Master Pages to improve control over application look-and-feel
• Strengthening security with membership providers, security server controls, cookieless forms authentication, and the new Role Manager
• Simplifying personalization with ASP.NET 2.0 Themes
• Building fast, flexible portals with newly improved Web Parts and the new Portal Framework
• Delivering more effective mobile device support—with less complexity
• Previewing new controls—including FormView, CreateUserControl, and other innovations absent from earlier ASP.NET 2.0 Technology Previews
• Leveraging major improvements to existing controls
• Improving accessibility for disabled site visitors and application users

Currently assessing ASP.NET 2.0? Piloting it? Already building production applications with it? Wherever you stand, wherever you're headed with ASP.NET 2.0, this book will get you there.