Microsoft Releases Avalon and Indigo Beta 1 RC: A Unified Programming Model for Connected Systems

Strategic Insights -

Microsoft has officially released the Beta 1 release candidate of Avalon and Indigo, two key technologies originally developed for the Longhorn operating system. The beta release is aimed at stirring developer activity and encouraging coding, with a Longhorn beta expected to arrive this summer. The release also includes InfoCard single sign-on code and the Identity Metasystem Architectural Diagram, integrated with Indigo.

Key Takeaways:

  • Avalon, a unified presentation subsystem, is designed to unify how Windows creates, displays, and manipulates documents, media, and user interfaces, enabling visually stunning and differentiated user experiences.
  • Indigo is a unified programming model for building connected systems, extending the .NET Framework 2.0 with additional APIs for secure, reliable, and transacted web services that interoperate with non-Microsoft platforms.
  • Indigo is integrated with existing Microsoft distributed application technologies, such as ASMX, .NET Remoting, .NET Enterprise Services, Web Services Enhancements, and System.Messaging.
  • The Beta 1 RC release supports Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 and the .NET Framework 2.0 beta 2.
  • Avalon is designed to be Microsoft's strategic user interface technology, enabling developers and designers to create visually stunning user experiences.
  • InfoCard single sign-on code and the Identity Metasystem Architectural Diagram are integrated with Indigo, providing a Passport-replacing version of the Identity Metasystem.
  • The updated WinFX SDK includes documentation, samples, and tools for Avalon.

Statistics:

  • The Beta 1 RC release is intended to stir developer juices and get them coding.
  • A Longhorn beta is expected to arrive this summer.
  • Avalon and Indigo are now supposed to ship in XP and Windows Server 2003 as well as Longhorn.

Sources:

  • [Microsoft Avalon and Indigo: Beta 1 Release Candidate](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5134)
  • [Avalon and Indigo: Unified Presentation and Programming Model](https://web.archive.org/web/20201008015928/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480121.aspx)
  • [InfoCard and Identity Metasystem](https://web.archive.org/web/20201008015928/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480123.aspx)
  • [WinFX SDK](https://web.archive.org/web/20201008015928/https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480125.aspx)