>is it possible to explain "in 50 words or less" what the essential
>important difference is between pre .NET development and this new
>.NET technique ?

One essential difference is that instead of just a "browser" and a (small) Java VM (Virtual Machine) running on the Client side, you now also need the .NET CLR (Common Language Runtime) and approximately 30 MB of DLLs (ie. the "Framework") to support it.