.NET 4

The .NET framework initially came out as a replacement for the legacy MFC. Since then it has changed rapidly. This makes for much developer learning. The most recent version changes ASP.NET significantly.

Silverlight 4 is set to come out towards the end of 2010. It will get access to the Component Object Model in the next release. This technology is Microsoft's weapon to combat Adobe.

Last time .NET was upgrade to include Windows Presentation Foundation and Windows Communications Foundations. Then a minor update added Language Integrated Query (LINQ). All the good new technologies coming out of Microsoft are part of .NET.

Microsoft is getting into the component market. Silverlight 3 contained over 100 new controls with it. This has given consultants something to sell to their customers. Such consultants have custom tool sets to sell. Third party control manufacturers are hurting though.

F-Sharp

Microsoft continues to offer the F# programming language in Visual Studio. This relatively new language incorporates functional programming with the existing object oriented language features. The language supports multiprocessor machines. It also supports preemptive multitasking.

F# is a strongly typed language. It has a number of features that have not made it into other .NET languages like C#. However developers have not flocked to the new language in great numbers. If you do specialized parallel programming projects, F# might be for you. Otherwise there may not be a strong reason to try out this new language.

ASP.NET MVC 2.0

ASP.NET is starting to get old. It seems that just the other day it was taking over where classic ASP left off. Well now there is another twist on an old technology. It is ASP.NET MVC 2.0.

The MVC stands for model view controller. It is a web framework that is compatible with both Visual Studio 2008 and 2010. This technology is an alternative to using web forms.

Don't fret if you are a web forms programmer. That technology is not dead. But ASP.NET is getting a face lift. Leave it to Microsoft to keep the technology pace moving quickly.