Today Microsoft has released Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5 to developers. This is a much anticipated release and includes new features including:
- VS 2008 Multi-Targeting Support
- ASP.NET AJAX and JavaScript Support
- VS 2008 Web Designer and CSS Support
- Language Improvements and LINQ
- Data Access Improvements with LINQ to SQL
- Browsing the .NET Framework Library Source using Visual Studio
S. "Soma" Somasegar, the Corporate Vice President of the Developer Division at Microsoft announced this news on his web site and includes a Q & A on Microsoft's PressPass, highlights include:
PressPass: Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5 are available today – why should development organizations get started on these new versions?
Somasegar: The simplest answer is that Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework make it easy for development organizations and developers of all skill levels to build software and services on the latest platforms including the Web, Windows Vista, the 2007 Office system, and Windows Server 2008. Obviously, there’s a lot that goes into building these tools and offering the right features that enable developers to be more productive, take advantage of all the latest platform advances and collaborate more effectively throughout the software lifecycle.
We put together a great document called the Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade to Visual Studio 2008, which I’d encourage developers to take a look at – and that’s really just the beginning of what this release offers. Visual Studio 2008 delivers over 250 new features, makes improvements to existing features including performance work on many areas, and we’ve made significant enhancements to every version of Visual Studio 2008, from the Express Editions to Visual Studio Team System (VSTS).
In Visual Studio Team System in particular, I’m pleased with the progress we made in scalability and performance for Team Foundation Server (TFS), which I discussed in my blog recently. As just one example, the TFS Version Control command processing was re-written to support unlimited sized operations on key commands without being memory bound on the server. In our measurements, key commands also run 10-60 percent faster, with the larger improvements associated with bigger projects.
I also believe that development organizations will find the new database tools offered in VSTS very valuable. Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Database Edition and related Microsoft Solutions Framework process guidance is fully integrated into Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Suite. This enables database developers and administrators to be more productive, increase security and drive quality, and involves them earlier in the development lifecycle.
PressPass: Now that you’ve released Visual Studio 2008, what can we expect to hear from the Visual Studio team at the launch event on Feb. 27, 2008?
Somasegar: The Global Launch of Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008 on Feb. 27, 2008 will provide a great opportunity to highlight how our customers are making the most of Visual Studio 2008 and demonstrate how they can benefit from the power of the full Microsoft application platform, including Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008. You’ll also see how our partners are delivering great products that extend and enhance Visual Studio 2008.
But remember -- don’t wait. Visual Studio 2008 is available right now to MSDN subscribers, and will be available soon to other customers through our various other channels
Details of what is included in Visual Studio 2008 of interest to developers can look to Scott Guthrie's web log where he includes links to past articles detailing many of the new features and overview of improvements.
The Visual Studio 2008 Product Guide is the place developers should look for all of the official information on the each and every edition Microsoft is releasing that focus on the different needs of developers, architects and database administrators among others. Other resources include the Visual Studio 2008 Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade, a source to get started.
More information can be found at Microsoft's MSDN Site.