The long awaited Visual Studio 2008 was finally released to manufacturing yesterday 19th November.

Highlights of the environmnet built upon .NET 3.5, also relased yesterday include.

• Multi-targeting of .NET2.0, .NET3.0 and .NET3.5 all from the same IDE
• Built in AJAX support - no seperate download
• Extensive changes to the web design component which is based on the expression web designer engine.
• Extensive support for CSS developement
• Language improvements
• LINQ - Language Integrated Query - Built-in Object Relation Mapper (OR/M)  - Working with data now as easy as working with a class
• Data access improvements

This really is an exciting update to the already formidable developer toolset.

I've been an ASP & VB developer for some 10 years if not longer but never got in to C#.

After recently deciding to move on from Picture Nation I started to look at the contracting market in and around Manchester, UK.  I was amazed at the number of jobs recruiting C# over and above VB.NET.  C# really does seem now to be pushing forward as the defacto .NET language and therefore I have decided to bite the bullet and develop solutions in C# as my primary language.

It's a great time to be a .NET developer, especially C#, as the skills are so in demand.  With v3.5 (Linq et al) around the corner, fingers crossed November 2007, I think it's a perfect time for me to move over.

I'm going to document my transition if not just to help me but also others who come unstuck by the little nuisances of the language.

Wish me luck.

Matt