Microsoft ASP.NET, now with Atlas (AJAX) - be alarmed.

Checked Slashdot this morning and read the news about Microsoft's integration of AJAX into ASP.NET with Atlas.

Someone handily provided the url for a streaming movie demonstrating how to 'assemble' ( build just doesn't sound right in this context - this guy ain't building nothing) an ASP.NET application using Visual Studio Express.

Frankly, I find this whole scenario alarming in many ways on many levels.

1. Application development just got a whole lot easier for twits.


2. Debugging an ASP.NET application (without Visual Studio) now sucks harder.


3. Visual Studio behaves more like a 'toy' IDE, drag and drop this, click that - obscure fundamental component here, bury core business logic there.

This sucks a whole lot more because I kinda need to add .NET to my CV, seriously - but seeing this just doesn't make me want to - honestly. I'm really afraid that using Visual Studio Web Developer will make me a less smarter person - it won't actually introduce me to new and interesting concepts in compiled languages nor will it expand my skillset with useful and transferrable learnings.