Chapter 1. A Quick Tour of Visual Studio 2005

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Some Welcome Enhancements

• Sorting Through the SKUs

First encounters with a new programming tool can be tricky. You're often left feeling uneasy and alienated from your comfort zone. Let's face it; most of us are just starting to feel we've mastered the current tools and languages when along comes the next big wave. We're promised new levels of productivity; we're tempted by a sleek-looking Interactive Development Environment (IDE) and a set of cool new features. When the buzz finally becomes deafening, we pop in the freshly burned DVD only to quickly feel lost before even starting the exploration.

If you've been doing this very long, you've come to expect a new release the size of Visual Studio 2005 to come with new programming models, unfamiliar terms, fresh dialog boxes, and new ways to view code; it can be hard to find your footing on what seems to be unfamiliar ground. Sometimes, all you need is a map or a compass to point you in the right direction. We hope this chapter helps you get your bearings. We'll use this space to provide the highlights of the new tool and aid with sorting through the various new Visual Studio SKUs.