14 DAY TRIAL // The July Community Technology Preview of Microsoft codename "Acropolis" is available for download. Users will need Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 (Code Name "Orcas" Beta 1) and Windows Vista and Windows XP. A total of three files are up for grabs from Microsoft AcropolisMSI, AcropolisSamples and Acropolis_Help. Acropolis is essentially a collection of components and tools designed to enable the development of software products on top of Windows and the .NET Framework. In addition to building modular applications, Acropolis also offers support regarding management tasks.
"It builds on the rich capabilities of Microsoft Windows and the .NET Framework, including the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), by providing tools and pre-built components that help developers quickly assemble an application from loosely-coupled parts and services. Code Name "Acropolis" reduces the complexities of building occasionally connected client applications and provides the ability to assemble and reconfigure systems without having to write as much code. It is part of the .NET Client Futures release, Microsoft's preview of upcoming technologies in Microsoft Windows client development, available now," Microsoft revealed in the description of the download.
Acropolis is yet another example of how Microsoft understands the implementation of its software plus services business strategy. The toolkit focused on building Windows client applications provides developers with run-time framework, design tools, but also examples of functionality. Creating componentized applications with Acropolis is a streamlined task, just as the reinterpretation of those components into additional programs is.
"Acropolis uses a composite application framework to address complex, changing business requirements. Composite applications integrate functionality as components that you can easily reconfigure or replace. Composite applications often have a portal or "dashboard" look, but this is only one scenario of many. The important point about composite applications is that units of functionality remain loosely coupled to make change easier. Whether the change is a new business requirement or a user reconfiguration, making change easier makes improvement easier," Microsoft revealed in the Acropolis overview.