I started playing around with Visual Web Developer Express 2005 (VWD). I had originally planned on using VWD with MySQL. The problem is that to use the new stuff in ASP.NET 2.0 like the pre-made authentication you have to use Microsoft’s own SQL server, or try to get some convoluted method of making MySQL work as the provider. I’m sure that I could eventually get it working, but in the end it would not provide me the free easy to use fast development solution I was looking for in asp.net and MySQL. I had a plan to develop a dynamic small business website with user authentication, but I see now that it probably won’t be with VWD Express and MySQL. If I have to reinvent the wheel for everything I’d rather just use PHP and MySQL.

That being said, I still plan on messing around with VWD and Microsoft’s SQL Express.

I might be doing some research about Ruby On Rails to see if that would better meet my needs.

Using VWD and MySQL link

Microsoft has a great site with video tutorials here. They cover various aspects of visual web developer in VB and C#. They can’t cover topics in too much detail, but more then enough to be worth while. Plus they are free….