ASP.NET AJAX Version 1.0 Beta 2Fact SheetNovember 2006With the upcoming release of ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX Extensions and the Microsoft® AJAX Library (collectively called ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 Beta 2 and previously code-named “Atlas”), Web developers now have a collection of end-to-end Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX)-style development tools with enterprise-scale support. ASP.NET AJAX is designed to simplify development while empowering developers to build applications that deliver richer, more relevant and more productive experiences to their customers, through the seamless integration with the .NET Framework and Microsoft platform.ASP.NET AJAX will be available as three components that together provide an easy way to build client-side, AJAX-style applications on any platform, and deliver a rich set of cross-browser client-side functionality that can be used to extend any server-side application framework. When ASP.NET AJAX is used in conjunction with ASP.NET 2.0, developers get the power, productivity and ease-of-use benefits of the Microsoft platform, including access to the entire .NET Framework. The three components are detailed below.The ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX Extensions 1.0 Beta 2 This contains the features that will be fully supported by Microsoft Product Support in the final release, providing a standard 10-year Microsoft Corp. support license (24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year). The Extensions includes all common components required to enable developers to build client-side and server-side functionality. As a result, this allows enterprise customers to launch their AJAX-enabled applications with confidence. In addition, enterprise customers can request hotfixes if they encounter a bug affecting their application. All functionality not in the Extensions will still be available and work on top of the supported Extensions in additional community technology previews (CTPs). ^ The ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX Futures November CTPThe ASP.NET AJAX Futures package contains the additional higher-level features that were in previously released CTPs but that will not be in the fully supported ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX Extensions. These features are currently community-supported as further refinement takes place and feedback is received. When this package becomes near final, these features will be moved into the Extensions download.^ The ASP.NET AJAX Control ToolkitThe ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit is a collaborative shared-source project built by a combination of Microsoft and non-Microsoft developers. It enables developers using Microsoft Visual Studio® to quickly and easily build controls that take advantage of ASP.NET AJAX client-side technologies and can be readily used by server-side ASP.NET developers. In addition, the client-side portions of the controls will be usable by non-ASP.NET platforms. Today the project contains 28 free, AJAX-enabled controls built on top of the ASP.NET 2.0 AJAX Extensions Beta 2 download. Pricing and AvailabilityASP.NET AJAX 1.0 Beta 2 is available via download at http://ajax.asp.net. The release to Web of ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 is targeted for around the end of 2006. The ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit is available at http://www.codeplex.com. ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 is a free download that works with Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition, Microsoft’s free integrated development environment (IDE), and all versions of Visual Studio 2005.#########For more information, press only: Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, (503) 443-7070, rrt@waggeneredstrom.com - more -