Software & Services Bret Grinslade : .NET Framework

Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 are released!

bretgrinslade — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:27:00 GMT

The release formerly known as Orcas has shipped. This is a great release and builds on the foundation of the .NET Framework 2.0. This release also includes the .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0 SP1 bits.

Aaron Stebner has a great post with the download links for Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 and some details. Aaron's blog is always the first place to check for trouble shoot advice and the most current links.

A few notable setup changes in this release.

Visual Studio Trial upgrades work. So install the trial today, and when you get your full copy, just insert the key via setup on the DVD or Add/Remove programs
The .NET Framework installer only downloads the components your computer needs in order to install... so no Vista bits on XP and not 64 files for x86 etc.

So check it out and have fun. There are so many new things in the product... but I really love LINQ and having designers for WPF in Visual Studio!

Let us know hwo it works.

-Bret

BTW, please post setup issues on the forums.

Visual Studio -- http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=26&SiteID=1

.NET Framework -- http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=1020&SiteID=1

Getting Help with Visual Studio

bretgrinslade — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:42:00 GMT

Most developers have heard that Visual Studio and the .NET Framework released Beta2 of Orcas at the end of July.

However, I have seen a few questions on how to get help or report issues.

"Help! I can't figure out this bug or VS won't install!"

First, the MSDN or ASP.NET forums are a good place to discuss issues. Remember this is COMMUNITY and not a support center. Good behavior here is to post issues and questions, respond to other people if you can help, and not use this for mission critical stuff!

MSDN Forums (all): http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/default.aspx?SiteID=1

MSDN Orcas: http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=153&SiteID=1

ASP.NET Forums http://forums.asp.net/

There is also Microsoft Connect. This is more for filing bugs or reporting issues.

http://connect.microsoft.com/

Of course, search is a good way to find issues that folks already are discussing. Be a bit on guard here. I often see posts were a person thinks they have one issue and it has a very different root cause. Try to be sure the issue is actually the same before making to much investment in the work arounds or fixes... especially if they mean doing things like hacking the registry, etc.

Finally, for VS and NETFX setup, Aaron Stebner maintains on of the best blogs going on issue. I almost always check his blog before I post (and I work on the VS and NETFX deployment technology team!)

http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/

Have fun with VS and NETFX 3.5! -Bret

Visual Studio Beta 2 -- Get VSTS Easier and Faster at Home

bretgrinslade — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:18:00 GMT

The new (and final) Beta of Visual Studio and the .NET Framework has been released. These are 2008 and 3.5 for folks that keep track of version numbers.

Visual Studio 2008 Beta 2 and the .NET Framework Beta 2

A cool part about the beta for developers is that you can use the Visual Studio Team System product. It has so many cool features. I actually use Visual Web Developer Express on my home laptop for ASP.NET and web pages and VSTS on my home desktop.

I have been working with the folks in Microsoft Research Cambridge for the last several years as they have investigated "peer assisted download technology." They are doing a 4 week test and, in my experience, is a very easy way to get the ISOs for VSTS. Try it out.

Microsoft Secure Content Downloader is a peer-assisted downloader for downloading select Microsoft CTP's

or I made a TinyUrl for it:

http://tinyurl.com/3drk25

Have fun! -Bret