just to clear up any misconception ASP and ASP.NET are two COMPLETELY different things....the fact that they interact with server components and a similar style of language (assuming u don't use C#). ASP is a scripting language(much like PHP), but the ASP.NET technology is a completely object oriented language.
Comunities? wow ok....
www.codeproject.com www.aspalliance.com www.gotdotnet.com I could keep going but i have other things I need to be doing.....I have tried PHP (successfully I might add) and ASP along with the new .NET technologies....you're pages load faster due to precompiled code, controls have the ability to autopostback to the same page seemlessly, etc etc....there are so many advantages to .NET i can only begin to name them....With Server 2003 it is disgusting how powerful .NET is.
For you ppl that like C++....is php better? hahaha that's funny because Microsoft has released both Visual C++.NET and C#.....now what is easier for a c++ developer staying in the existing language or having to learn a derivative like Pearl....?
P.S. for all you M$ haters out there is the mono project to bring the .NET Framework to Linux (so someone in that community seems to believe in it...)