Microsoft Developer Feedback Forum

Attended this yesterday (Thursday 13 November) morning. Contents confidential, although we were recorded! I gave some feedback on developer issues:

• I hate the Ribbon (Ivon Towlson loves it).
• Generally very pleased with development suite.
• I wish the Membership Provider didn't insist on utilising a password all the time. This is because, in an Intranet scenario, I can ascertain the Windows login ID of the user (authentication). Therefore, all I need to do in order to verify whether the user is allowed into one of my apps (authorisation) is to check off their name from a list. No passwords required. But because that's how the Membership Provider is structured, therefore I can't use it.
• I use SubSonic as my ORM of choice, although I understand with the demise of LINQ 2 SQL, that the Entities Framework will be (soon) the ORM solution offered by Microsoft.
• I'm not involved in licensing of Microsoft Products here at Telecom, for which I am truely grateful, although I did have input into the decision to continue receiving DVDS as part of MSDN. Starting from the next annual subscription, I will be reversing my earlier recommendation and instead choose to download all MSDN content that we require.
• I highly rate and highly value the contribution of Microsoft to the establishment and support of the .NET community events. For me, these are career enhancing opportunities to meet with like-minded individuals, learn from them, socialise with them, and give back.
• On the question of Trust, I do not trust Microsoft to stick with any one technology, but to constant move with the industry adoption options. I do trust them to be around for a number of years. I don't trust them to fully support NZ (e.g. with Data Centres) any time soon. I do trust them to innovate continually (even if that means they hire innovative individuals like Rob Conery).
• One idea I didn't voice, because it was uncalled-for and unmerited was this. With a new socialist president in America, will he force monopolies like Microsoft to split up? NZ did it to Telecom, so don't tell me it doesn't happen!