Have you ever been writing some code and got to the point where you just can't figure out what the .NET Framework is doing? You know, one of those really gnarly bugs that you just can't decide where the problem lies.

Most good devs will reach for Lutz Roeder's Reflector for .NET at this point and try and figure out what is happening in the .NET Framework. Wouldn't it be nice to have a fully integrated experience where you could debug from your code directly into the .NET Framework code?

Today, Microsoft has announced that later this year, with the final release of Visual Studio .NET 2008, the source code to many of the .NET libraries will be released under the Microsoft Reference License. This means that you can browse and view the source code providing you accept the license terms.

Additionally an Internet facing server will publish symbols for the source to allow an integrated debugging experience in VS.NET 2008. When debugging VS.NET will request source code from the server as needed when a developer steps in to .NET Framework code. The first download of the code will require explicit acceptance of the license but from then on you're free to debug all published .NET Framework source code.

Scott Guthrie has published a post which provides further details along with several screen shots to show how this process works in anger. Check it out here!