(For Vista/Windows Server 2008 Only) The Microsoft Web Platform Installer Beta is a single package that contains everything you need to start developing for the Web. The package includes IIS7, Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition, SQL Server 2008 Express Edition and the .NET Framework. You have the option to install the package as a whole or just install individual components.
Once you’ve got the components installed that you want, you can dive right into testing and use Microsoft’s Web Application Installer Beta to install various PHP & ASP-based Web applications including DotNetNuke, Drupal, Gallery, Graffiti CMS, osCommerce, phpBB and WordPress. (For most of those applications, you’ll need to have PHP and MySQL installed. However, Microsoft has some pretty simple directions for installing PHP alongside IIS as well as for installing MySQL.)
That’s it. Two quick installations and you can have everything running on your computer to develop new applications or enhance pre-existing, open-source applications like WordPress.
Of course, to help get you started in the world of Web development, the Microsoft Web Platform site features a plethora of resources available to help you along the way including, but not limited to, getting started with ASP.NET and Silverlight.
To get started, check out microsoft.com/web… but keep us posted as to how these packages might have helped with your own project(s).
In case you’re interested, here are the entire contents of the Web Platform Installer package:
Common HTTP Features:
- Static Content
- Default Document
- Directory Browse
- HTTP Errors
- HTTP Redirection
Application Development:
- ASP.NET
- .NET Extensibility
- ASP
- CGI
- ISAPI Extensions
- ISAPI Filters
- Server Side Includes
Health and Diagnostics:
- HTTP Logging
- Logging Tools
- Request Monitor
- Tracing
- Custom Logging
- ODBC Logging
Security:
- Basic Authentication
- Windows Authentication
- Digest Authentication
- Client Certificate Mapping Authentication
- IIS Client Certificate Mapping Authentication
- URL Authorization
- Request Filtering
- IP Security
Performance:
- Static Content Compression
- Dynamic Content Compression
Management:
- IIS Management Console
- IIS Management Scripts and Tools
- Management Service
Compatibility:
- IIS Metabase and IIS 6 Configuration Compatibility
- IIS 6 WMI Compatibility
- IIS 6 Scripting Tools
- IIS 6 Management Console
WAS:
- WAS Process Model
- WAS NetFXEnvironment
- WAS Configuration API
Deployment and Publishing:
- FTP Server
- FTP Management Console
New IIS 7.0 Extensions:
- Bit Rate Throttling
- IIS 7.0 Manager for Remote Admin
- Web Playlist Release Candidate
- FTP 7.0
- WebDAV
- URL Rewrite GoLive
- Microsoft Web Deployment Tool Beta 1
Microsoft .NET:
- .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1
SQL:
- SQL Server Driver for PHP
- SQL Express 2008
Visual Studio:
- Visual Web Developer 2008 Express SP1
Windows:
- Windows Installer 4.5
