ObjectSpaces to be Separate Package ?
Update: This is not a rumor -- it has been confirmed.
Alex Thissen reports that the rumor is ObjectSpaces will be delivered as a separate package, instead of integrated into .NET v2.0 as it currently is in the previews. I personally think this would be the right thing to do, since Microsoft has went out of its way to make it a MS SQL only product that no one else can plug into. The downside of this will be that far fewer developers will end up seeing an O/R Mapper, since its hard to get people to install and play with something extra that they don't already understand and want. I think its sad that its came to this, but I do think its the right thing -- the rest of the .NET teams seem to understand that they can get away with adding MS SQL optimized libraries, but they must also provide interfaces that Oracle and others can also plug into. Of course, the upside of this, if its true, is that my ObjectSpaces “lite“ WilsonORMapper, as well as Frans' LLBLGen Pro and Thomas' EntityBroker, will get an extra lease on life. :) By the way Frans, what exactly does LLBL stand for? And Thomas, why haven't you registered EntityBroker.com or EntityBroker.net? Sorry, I couldn't resist.