It looks like another PDC is about to wind down. Just like last time, the amount of information is overwhelming. Nothing revolutionary this time, but some exciting stuff nevertheless.
By far the most exciting is LINQ (Language INtegrated Query): it’s got a catchy name and it’s got unbelievable power and potential. The coolest thing about LINQ for me is all the stuff that had to be done to enable it in the languages, especially C# 3.0: extension methods and lambda expressions being the coolest. This video will show you Anders explain it as only he can. From the demos he shows and his explanations, you get all kinds of features of a dynamically typed language with compile-time type checking: uber awesome. And they have a preview that works with Beta 2 of .NET 2.0.
Database stuff bores me to tears, so, like real database programmers, DLinq ain’t all that hot for me, for different reasons, though; but XLinq looks to be seriously sweet. When .NET first hit my school, the thing they touted most was XML: XML Web Services, XML comments in C#, XML Config files; “We make XML really easy!” But I was pretty disappointed with the verbosity and the amount of typing required to create a document or read a document. The new way, using XLinq to create XML documents right in the language, is just gorgeous. It makes creating documents intuitive and easy. Can’t wait for that.
The other things are worth noting, but nothing I’ll use daily, like the above. I’m curious to see the Office UI in action. It could definitely have a big impact on applications in the future. But making it a developer platform? Boring! Equally boring is WWF and WTF. Those definitely won’t get you laid:
Girl: What programming tools do you use?
Boy #1: Windows Workflow Foundation.
Girl(with disgusted look on her face.): Later!
Boy #2: Python and Ruby on Rails.
Girl: Ooooh. Hello.