I have been using Visual Studio 2008 and checking the new features that are coming out with the new Microsoft IDE for developers. While I was playing with the new  beta released internally and some people like in my case Microsoft MVPs and this version for the public http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa700831.aspx, please let me know what version it is after installing it as I did not had the chance to do so. Somebody was blogging great articles in detail about the features I was discovering. Scott Guthrie is always there to write a how to article in every product coming out from Redmond. If you are interested in finding out in detail some of the new features of Visual Studio 2008 I would recommend to check out his blog and subscribe. As he is the most read blogger at ASP.NET website.

• ASP.NET AJAX will not longer be deploy as a separate toolkit for ASP.NET. You'll find them all in your toolbox ready to drag and drop. When you create a website you'll be able to specify AJAX support and the web.config will reference the needed dlls. No more installing nightmares for AJAX developers.
• Intellisense window will be transparent so you can see the code below. I have to point out that many people asked to be able to move that box like the exception box, so you can move it out of the way or to the other side with the help of the mouse. Microsoft made it transparent by pressing the control key. No exactly what developers asked. A simple thing got more complicated, still an improvement as is nice to see the code around instead of being bothered all the time by intellisense.
• Intellisense for javascript finally is here and I have been blogging since I find out about it. After so many years, they came out with this. Of course there is a little problem that you need to be aware in order to make JavaScript intellisense work. If you are including a js file inside another you need to reference for intellisense to work this way: /// <reference> file.js </reference>
• Setting up JavaScripts break points now are possible without using the "manual way". What's the manual way you may asked? Well before the easiest way to set up a breakpoint was to add a line of code the at runtime will give you a javascript error, then "set the next statement" to be executed.
• Multi-targeting different versions of the framework so you don't have to change the IDE every time you need to work in a project from a previous framework. Also means you can have javascript intellisense with your 2.0 projects and you can open solution files from any project without having installed 3 IDEs in your computer. Run IDE to rule them all. I have tried to find out that VS2008 does not target 1.1 and 1.0 frameworks, so, you'll still have to install VS2002 and VS2003.
• Split View for preview and code so you can see the results of your HTML hacks on the preview on top of the screen, also you can put them side by side if you prefer, but I wouldn't recommend that as is easier using the scroll on the mouse to go up and down than using the bar. If you have more than one wheel on your mouse you may want to enable that.
• Cleaning up the using statements on your files so no more messes on top of your files with using statements that you don't need anymore. With a click of your mouse you can delete the using statements that you don't need anymore.

A missing feature that I was expecting was to be able to create a web control from a user control. I thought that was coming out, so developers wouldn't have to re-write the control after finishing the proof of concept with a user control. Sounds like somebody will have to create a plug-in for VS2008

In summary a better, cleaner IDE for developers with a look and feel not far from VS2005. Your eyes will get used to the new look in no time.

Cheers

Al