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Linq productization, where are we?

I've been quiet on the blog side lately. So many things are keeping me busy!
It's time to catch up a bit and share with you some information I collected over the last weeks. For example, here is the information we have today on the productization of Linq into Visual Studio "Orcas".

We already saw two CTPs of Orcas that included Linq features.

The first CTP of Visual Studio "Orcas" (September) included:

  • LINQ to Objects API (in the new System.Core assembly)
  • Partial C# 3.0 support (local variable type interface, lambda expressions, object initializers)
  • Partial C# 3.0 IDE support
  • Partial VB 9.0 support (local variable type inference, Option Infer switch)

The second CTP (October) included:

  • The ADO.NET Entity Framework, but without support for LINQ to Entities
  • LINQ to XML
    • Core functionality of the XLinq API such as load, modify, and save XML documents
    • Annotation support with a lightweight, typed, but general purpose annotation mechanism that can be used to associate information such as line numbers, schema types, and application objects with specific nodes in an XLinq tree

In a C# chat, Luke Hoban, Program Manager for the C# Compiler, reveals what we can expect for the next CTP (December):

Feature parity with the May prototype CTP for the C# compiler, LINQ to Objects and LINQ to XML, but not yet for the VB compiler, LINQ to SQL or LINQ to Entities. In addition, the C# compiler, LINQ to Objects and LINQ to XML will include a number of design changes and bug fixes.

He also gives hints for further CTPs: 

The February CTP and further Orcas CTPs and Betas will see continued feature enhancements in LINQ to SQL and LINQ to Entities. On top of this, you will see improved IDE support for LINQ with each Orcas CTP starting in December.

Cross-posted from http://linqinaction.net

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