Questions about FPGA to ASIC

I didn't realise that there was a difference. I guess all my questions above could apply to both a real ASIC and the Hardcopy family from Altera. What kind of designtools would I use to make make a "real" ASIC? What manufacturer and so on? Why should I prefere one over the other?

I guess I am just trying to get some hints and tips on where to start when it comes to ASIC designs. I have a good understanding of FPGA design with Altera FPGAs and want to know how to step over to ASIC design. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!