Active Server Pages have been around in one form or another for a long time, which means that Active Server Pages training has been around for a while, too. In fact, ASP was the predominant form of web programming for many years (at least among Microsoft developers), and sites built upon the technology still exist today. In fact, new sites are still being developed in this programming language well over a decade after it was invented.

This means there is a clear business need for ASP education. Most of the time, software training is required when a technology is brand new; however, ASP training is required for the exact opposite reason. ASP has largely been supplanted by ASP.NET (aka .NET), and as such, ASP is not being taught to new programmers. However, because ASP applications need to be supported or created by some companies, those companies need cost-effective Active Server Pages education.

If you need to learn ASP, look for programs that do the following:

1. Active Server Pages (ASPs) education and training should give beginners the foundation they need to learn how to program ASP
2. Any ASP programming course should cover how to install and maintain ASP websites
3. Because ASP makes heavy use of the Component Object Model (COM), it is nice to have ASP coursework that includes a section on how to interface with COM modules.

As you evaluate ASP training programs, follow these action steps.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find free ASP training solutions online

Because ASP is not a new technology, there are hundreds of thousands of sites which give away ASP training for free. The only problem with the huge volume of ASP sites is that it may be hard to know which ones are giving comprehensive information.

I recommend: There are two very well known names in online ASP education: W3Schools and 4 Guys From Rolla (from the JupiterMedia Corporation). These two sites have been around for years and offer in-depth information on ASP programming.

If online training is missing information you need, consider paying for an ASP training course

Despite their breadth of knowledge, some of those free sites may not directly address issues that you absolutely must know (like ASP certification or some very in-depth knowledge about a particular feature). In this case, it may be worth paying for ASP training.

I recommend: Seek a training company that still offers ASP education. The International Webmasters Association-HTML Writers Guild (IWA-HWG) has instructor-led, online ASP training for programming companies, as does Webucator.

If you are looking for web programming, consider ASP.NET training courses

If your only interest is in learning the latest Microsoft technologies or if you want to mix a classic ASP training course with newer ASP.NET training courses, many high quality ASP.NET training avenues exist. Consider these resources in addition to or in lieu of ASP education.

I recommend: Look at Gatlin Education Services for self-paced .NET education. Also, consider Training Camp for education by an ASP.NET training instructor.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Training on COM programming, which has been made obsolete by .NET, is still available online and can be a great complement to Active Server Pages (ASP) education and training.
• •  For .NET programmers stuck with an ASP project, Active Server Pages training is available which shows how to migrate ASP programs to ASP.NET.
• •  Despite its age, ASP and ASP education make sense for companies who need to quickly deploy websites but want to use Microsoft technologies.