If you didn't see it already, check out the latest .NET Show on the Fundamentals (http://msdn.microsoft.com/theshow/episode043/default.asp) -- in particular, the section on Monad is quite good. If you aren't into watching videos, then you can read the transcripts (http://msdn.microsoft.com/theshow/Episode043/Transcript.html).  And, you can start playing with Monad on the WinHec build of Longhorn -- just go to start, run and type “MSH”.