Rate of Change
In breaking up my discussion on CAB, I have been reading about a lot of the newer technologies that will be a part of Windows Vista, such as Atlas and Windows Communication Framework (WCF) and its use of XAML, which are really neat technologies. However, with all of the new software frameworks that come out from Microsoft as well, and with the advent of a new framework (hopefully only 2.0 plus Atlas and WCF, plus other Vista components), and with XAML's new learning curve, you have to wonder if all of this rush will ever slow down.
It wasn't too long ago that the 2.0 framework was released, and now I see that the 3.0 is coming out... the 2.0 doesn't even have all the post release bugs worked out of it yet! Not to mention all the future complications it can add. I understand the push for new technology, but so far, every move to a new version means purchasing a new set of tools, which can get quite expensive. I hope the move to Vista still at least allows Visual Studio 2005 to work with it.
My wife, when she was working as a teacher, said that I wouldn't believe all the work she had to do to stay ahead. I understood her, as she always had papers to grade while at home. But I don't think she realized that it is the same for me, as to stay ahead, it really requires an effort on and off the work place. Talk about the potential for a major burnout.
I just wish I knew if this push is going to slow down at some point. A new framework every two years is going to get old after a while.