how about we concentrate on the NEEDs?
Rob, I'd have to say that I'm glad you've taken notice to these beefs we keep hearing about. I've kept my trap shut (shock, awe, surprise, and be-bafflement abound now) for some time about this, but it's terribly frustrating that since 99% of the enterprise clients out there who are using .NET are really using 1.1 “stuff,” it seems a smack in the face by Microsoft and Microsoft bloggers to completely 86 any discussion, technique, or interest in 1.1 technologies. Most companies won't even start using 2.0 its “really” released - much less Whidbey, which goodness knows when will come out. Usually, large companies are slow to adopt because of cost, problems in releases, and slowness to adopt/test/integrate newer stuff. Does this mean that Microsoft will abandon them in the sense that fewer and fewer articles will be published about the existing, widely-used technologies?
Sure, Whidbey must be cool - to be honest, I've not even taken a look at it yet! Why not, being an “early adopter,” and all? Simple - no need for my clients, no need for my business, and no benefit for me aside from pure academia. So maybe I'll miss the boat!??! I can live with that, because my work will get done, my clients will be happy, and I'll release applications that can actually help a business stay in business.
When I was teaching, this was a little different. When I had the time to play a lot more than work, this was different. And when I didn't need to buy the newest, largest, most powerful computer out there just to install and use the stuff, this was different. But currently, I've heard horror stories of installing, using, and debugging the new stuff. So I ask everyone - why would I want to risk blowing up my development environment (at work or home office, that is), and risk losing time (and thus money), and risk my clients' unhappiness and probably hold up their businesses for goodness knows how much time as a result of the fact that I 86'ed my environment by installing alpha/beta/release candidate technology...
when no one can use it in the first place!
Don't get me wrong - I'm all for new stuff. I'm all for learning. I'm all for toying around with the nifty new shiny toys. These are all awesome, needed exercises. But what's more important - using something that's so new no one else even has it and no client will allow you to utilize or making good - or great - with the existing technology?
I choose the latter. I choose to push the boundaries of what's already released, already in production and accepted in my client base's technological arsenal. I choose to use what's there for the betterment of my business and my clients, and to innovate with the tools I already have at my disposal.
Technology doesn't exist for technology's sake. It exists for a greater good - to be useful.