This week we released the Visual Studio codename "Orcas" March 2007 CTP and this is the first time that features from .NET Framework 3.5 have been included. I've already seen this on Matt Winklers blog and Somasegars blog. I would recommend you get the Team Suite-Only VPC to review the new features in .NET Framework 3.5.

Brief on .NET Framework 3.5

Many ISV’s, enterprises and even our own Microsoft product teams are successfully building on the new features WF, WCF, WPF and CardSpace in the .NET Framework 3.0. Microsoft plans to continue to invest in the .NET Framework developer platform and in support of existing users the .NET Framework 3.5 has no serious breaking changes so existing applications built for .NET Framework 2.0 or .NET Framework 3.0 will continue to execute. The .NET Framework 3.5 adds new features in several major technology areas.

1. Integration of Language Integrated Query (LINQ) and data awareness
2. Support for Web 2.0 AJAX style applications and services in ASP.NET and WCF
3. Full tooling support for WF, WCF and WPF including the new workflow-enabled services technology
4. New classes in the base class library (BCL) for the .NET Framework 3.5 address the most common customer requests

.NET Framework 3.5 will ship with Visual Studio codename ”Orcas” and will be available for separate download from MSDN.

Just The Server Side (WF and WCF)

Here's some detail of the new things to look for from WF and WCF.

• Workflow enabled services - process and messaging together
• Web 2.0 AJAX friendly (works with ASP.NET AJAX Client) and REST enabled WCF services
• New project templates and other new features in Visual Studio for WF and WCF
• More WS-* Standards Support including WS-AtomicTransaction, WS-ReliableMessaging, WS-SecureConversation and WS-Coordination
• RSS and ATOM Syndication Support in WCF
• Partial Trust for WCF applications deployed through click-once
• Rules Data Improvements

Matt Winkler already has a good run down on several of these these blogged.