Atlas Is Not So Bad...

Actually, it is quite good.

I’ve been meaning to mention that I’ve been spending time using Atlas Microsoft Ajax lately. Here my initial thoughts:

1. I have never picked up a new set up libraries that did no such with so little work. Some of this stuff is, frankly, freakishly easy to use. I am just floored by the simplicity and functionality of the UpdatePanel control.
2. The above being said, it is an interesting experience coding seriously with a CTP. I played around with .NET 2.0 when it was CTP, and with Indigo Windows Communication Foundation when it was CTP, but never to the extent that I have this. And you do get some of the issues you would expect to come with using a CTP. There are some bugs. Documentation is spotty at times. But, in general, it is solid. I would have no qualms using it in production assuming there is plenty of QA (but isn’t that true of everything?).
3. I’m REALLY glad it is built on 2.0, and doesn’t need to wait for 3.0 to be released. Of course then I found out that 3.0 is basically all written on the 2.0 runtime, so that’s not going to require a new framework. Sweet...
4. They are supposedly going to release it by the end of the year. I really hope they succeed. There is a go-live license out now so it can be used in production with no problem, but it will be nice when it has been stabalized. One of the problems currently is that the changes haven’t hit all of the online (and obviously print) materials. Once it gets released, good stable documentation can be released. That will be nice.