Paul Krill
Editor at Large

Update: Microsoft to halt Live Framework CTP

news
Aug 24, 20092 mins

Technology preview for developers will be integrated into the next release of Microsoft's Windows Live online services as of Sept. 8

Microsoft on Sept. 8 plans to discontinue its Live Framework Community Technology Preview for developers, instead integrating the framework into the next release of the company’s Windows Live online services.

In a blog post on Friday, David Treadwell, Microsoft corporate vice president for Live Platform Services, asked developers to download data and/or code from the service prior to Sept. 8 and to remove devices from the services. Controls also must be removed.

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Access to the technical preview of Live Framework was offered at the company’s Professional Developer conference in Los Angeles last fall. The framework is part of a vision to provide developers with a consistent programming interface. But now, existing services, controls, and the framework will be integrated into Windows Live.

“Our vision is to provide you with deeper access to the more than 500 million Windows Live users and a more consistent programming interface for both our services and controls. We want to make it as easy as possible to consume and use Windows Live capabilities in your solutions,” Treadwell said.

“Live Framework is core to our vision of providing you with a consistent programming interface. Now we are working to integrate existing services, controls and the Live Framework into the next release of Windows Live,” said Treadwell.

The Live Framework CTP, officially called the Windows Live Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio CTP, was designed to offer developers an early view of sync capabilities in Live Services, including Live Mesh, which is for sharing and syncing of files.

Other services also will become unavailable on Sept. 8, including CTP Tools/ASP.Net Controls, with Microsoft suggesting alternatives including UI Controls from the Messenger Web Toolkit for Contacts and Messenger Chat. The Windows Live ID Web Authentication Service replaces IDLoginStatus Control.

For the Live Services developer portal, the ability to build Live Framework-enabled Web sites and Mesh-enabled applications will be removed.

This story was updated on Aug. 24, 2009.

Paul Krill

Paul Krill is editor at large at InfoWorld. Paul has been covering computer technology as a news and feature reporter for more than 35 years, including 30 years at InfoWorld. He has specialized in coverage of software development tools and technologies since the 1990s, and he continues to lead InfoWorld’s news coverage of software development platforms including Java and .NET and programming languages including JavaScript, TypeScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and Go. Long trusted as a reporter who prioritizes accuracy, integrity, and the best interests of readers, Paul is sought out by technology companies and industry organizations who want to reach InfoWorld’s audience of software developers and other information technology professionals. Paul has won a “Best Technology News Coverage” award from IDG.

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