| By Patrick Hynds | Article Rating: |
|
| December 21, 2007 04:00 PM EST | Reads: |
6,164 |
Another version of Visual Studio is here and while there are many cool features, we can conclude a lot from the fact that it isn't a staggering release. The first Visual Studio that wore the .NET moniker was a paradigm shift and threw in many features such as Web services, which though immature was definitely a killer feature. Now we have interesting upgrades and improvements. I won't say that Visual Studio has jumped the shark because I do think it is on track and still relevant, but this is a sign that the platform has matured. Most of the cool technology is manipulatable in Visual Studio 2008, but isn't baked in as most of it was released earlier.
Things such as WCF and WPF and the new source code release that Visual Studio 2008 is wired to let you step through are things and technologies outside of Visual Studio 2008 that it makes far easier to use. Another sign of maturity is the fact that there are features such as the ability to target multiple versions of the .NET Framework that speak to compatibility with the past and a vision for the long haul.
Where will it go next? Well, that's hard to say, but given that there are already Silverlight tools available as an add-in, I would say that this will be a big direction in the future. Will we have to wait for the next major release? That depends on Silverlight's acceptance and evolution, but the tools will get a lot of attention and upgrades before I find myself writing about the next major version of Visual Studio.
Published December 21, 2007 Reads 6,164
Copyright © 2007 SYS-CON Media, Inc. — All Rights Reserved.
Syndicated stories and blog feeds, all rights reserved by the author.
More Stories By Patrick Hynds
Patrick Hynds, MCSD, MCSE+I, MCDBA, MCSA, MCP+Site Builder, MCT, is the Microsoft Regional Director for Boston, the CTO of CriticalSites, and has been recognized as a leader in the technology field. An expert on Microsoft technology (with, at last count, 55 Microsoft certifications) and experienced with other technologies as well (WebSphere, Sybase, Perl, Java, Unix, Netware, C++, etc.), Patrick previously taught freelance software development and network architecture. Prior to joining CriticalSites, he was a successful contractor who enjoyed mastering difficult troubleshooting assignments. A graduate of West Point and a Gulf War veteran, Patrick brings an uncommon level of dedication to his leadership role at CriticalSites. He has experience in addressing business challenges with blended IT solutions involving leading-edge database, Web, and hardware systems. In spite of the demands of his management role at CriticalSites, Patrick stays technical and in the trenches, acting as project manager and/or developer/engineer on selected projects throughout the year.
- Kindle 2 vs Nook
- Practical Approaches for Optimizing Website Performance
- SQL Anywhere Server and AJAX
- PowerBuilder Top Feature Picks
- The Difference Between Web Hosting and Cloud Computing
- PowerBuilder 12 and .NET
- Contrary Opinion: Why Silverlight is Good for Adobe
- Ajax in RichFaces 3.3, JSF 2 and RichFaces 4
- Wave on Ulitzer: Confessions of a Google Wave Fanboy
- Cloud Computing Best Practices
- AJAX World RIA Conference & Expo Kicks Off in New York City
- Rich Content Rotator for ASP.NET
- RIAs for Web 3.0 Using the Microsoft Platform
- Kindle 2 vs Nook
- Practical Approaches for Optimizing Website Performance
- Social Media Terrorists
- SQL Anywhere Server and AJAX
- SYS-CON's Cloud Expo Adds Two New Tracks
- PowerBuilder Top Feature Picks
- The Difference Between Web Hosting and Cloud Computing
- Google Maps and ASP.NET
- Crystal Reports XI & How It Has Changed
- Converting VB6 to VB.NET, Part I
- Creating Controls for.NET Compact Framework in Visual Studio 2005
- Where Are RIA Technologies Headed in 2008?
- How to Write High-Performance C# Code
- AJAX World RIA Conference & Expo Kicks Off in New York City
- Implementing Tab Navigation with ASP.NET 2.0
- i-Technology Photo Exclusive: Bill Gates & Steve Jobs In "Nerds"
- .NET Archives: Getting Reacquainted with the Father of C#



































