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ASP.NET Overview

ASP.NET is a unified Web development model that includes the services necessary for you to build enterprise-class Web applications with a minimum of coding. ASP.NET is part of the .NET Framework, and when coding ASP.NET applications you have access to classes in the .NET Framework. You can code your applications in any language compatible with the common language runtime (CLR), including Microsoft Visual Basic, C#, JScript .NET, and J#. These languages enable you to develop ASP.NET applications that benefit from the common language runtime, type safety, inheritance, and so on.

ASP.NET includes:

A page and controls framework
The ASP.NET compiler
Security infrastructure
State-management facilities
Application configuration
Health monitoring and performance features
Debugging support
An XML Web services framework
Extensible hosting environment and application life cycle management
An extensible designer environment

Original from Microsoft. You can read more at ASP.NET Developer Center

Microsoft .NET Framework Version 3.5 SP1
The Microsoft .NET Framework is a component of the Windows operating system. It provides the foundation for next-generation applications, including ASP.NET web applications.

Official Download:
Download

Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition SP1
Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition is a free easy to use and easy to learn program that allows everyone, from the novice to the professional developer, to create ASP.NET web sites.

The 2008 version of Visual Web Developer Express Edition can be downloaded from here:

Official Download:
English Download
Chinese (Simplified) Download
Chinese (Traditional) Download
French Download
German Download
Italian Download
Japanese Download
Korean Download
Spanish Download

ASP.NET Ajax Library (Beta)
The new ASP.NET Ajax Library (Beta) is an open source, JavaScript, library that enables you to build database-driven Ajax applications that execute entirely within the web browser. The library includes all of the Ajax controls included in the AJAX Control Toolkit. The library works with ASP.NET Web Forms, ASP.NET MVC, and even pure HTML applications.