>That's right...for now, in MM .NET 2.4 there is an underlying DataSet--although it will be optional in future versions of MM .NET.
Kevin - You previously told me this in a UT reply:
This again is an MM .NET 2.4 convention. Although you *can* bind directly to entity properties with MM .NET 2.4 all of our documentation currently has you binding to the underlying data table--this changes in MM .NET 2.5. When you are specifying the BindingSourceDisplayMember and BindingSourceValueMember you are not actually specifying database column names. you are specifying column names of the data you are retrieving in your business object (which is often the same, but not necessarily). I think all your confusion will be cleared up in MM .NET 2.5 when you bind directly to the properties rather than the underlying data.
Now then, some questions:
1. Since I am just getting into VS, I really do not want to start on 2.4 and learing "the old way" when 2.5 could be very close. So, can you give any idea about the timeline for your ver 2.5.
2. Also, if 2.5 is delayed very long, does 2.4 run well on VS 2008?
3. Please explain what kind of WPF UI controls your ver 2.5 will have? Again since I am just starting out in VS, I'm looking at skipping Windows Forms all together, and starting day one with a WPF UI. I hope your WPF UI control set is fairly exhaustive, so I do not have to consider another 3rd party tool to get a full toolbox. I have been watching DevExpress for WPF UI controls, but I would really like to have only one 3rd party tool set for both my app framework and UI controls. It's hard enough to learn one, much less two. I know that DevExpress has an app framework in beta (XAF) that is close to release, and they have a ORM package (XPO) that has been around for a while, and they are also working on a WPF contol suite.
4. Any plans for a free-standing user forum, outside of UT? I really think it would be a boost to the product's image.
I like MM and I'm pulling for you, but it's hard to get a feel for the future and market share of MM, since you have a little less profile than they do.
