Microsoft Releases Visual Studio 2010 RC!

Q: What was announced today?

A: Today, Microsoft announced a Release Candidate (RC) for Visual Studio 2010. The RC is available to MSDN subscribers today and will be available to the public on February 10. Microsoft is encouraging developers to download the RC and provide feedback.

Q: Why did Microsoft release an RC so close to launch of Visual Studio 2010?

A: Microsoft is highly committed to delivering a quality product in time for the Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 launch. We received a lot of positive customer feedback on the new capabilities of Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4. At the same time, we also received feedback around performance issues.  Since then, our engineering team has been working to improve performance between Beta 2 and launch so we’re set to deliver a high quality product come April.  The RC released today delivers enhanced performance and is an added milestone to garner even more customer feedback before the final build is released.

Q: How does the Release Candidate address customer needs?

A: We heard from customers that performance in Beta 2 wasn’t everything they had hoped it would be. The RC released today delivers enhanced performance and is an added milestone to garner even more customer feedback before the final build is released. Specifically, customers will see performance improvements in loading solutions, typing, building and debugging.

Q: What if you receive negative feedback after customers evaluate the RC? Will the launch get pushed out?

A: We are committed to shipping a high quality product in April, and we want to do what is best for our customers. Significant performance improvements have been made to the RC, and we’re looking forward to customer feedback. From now until launch we will continue to evaluate the product and make sure it is up to developer expectations.

Q: What new features are in this RC?

A: There are no new features in this release. We focused exclusively on performance and there will be no further features added to the product between now and launch.

Q: Is the Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 launch still planned for April 12, 2010?

A: Yes. Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 will launch in cities all over the world on April 12. Major events will be taking place in the UK, China, Malaysia, India, and in the US at DevConnections in Las Vegas.

Q: What is the chance that it’ll slip more?

A: We are very confident in the schedule at this point. However, we are continuing to listen to customer feedback and we’ll ship a great product. Quality is much more important to Microsoft than a date.

Q: What improvements have you made to Visual Studio 2010 RC?

A: The Visual Studio 2010 RC addresses customer feedback that we received after the release of Beta 2. Customers can expect to see performance improvements with loading solutions, typing, building and debugging.

Q: Where can I get more information on the Visual Studio 2010 RC?

A: For additional information, check out today’s blog posts by Soma and Jason Zander. You can also download the RC build here.

Q: Where will the Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 launch take place?

A: Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 will launch in cities all over the world on April 12. Major events will be taking place in the UK, China, Malaysia, India, and in the US at DevConnections in Las Vegas. Learn more by visiting the conference homepage at https://www.devconnections.com.

Q: How can I provide feedback for the Release Candidate?

A: Visit the feedback page and let Microsoft know what you think about the RC!