Managed Addin Framework (MAF)

Jack Gudenkauf (JackG) WebLog : PDC05 - Managed Addin Framework (MAF)

"The Managed Add-in Framework defines a programming model, built on top of .NET that allows applications to dynamically load and communicate with generic components at runtime. We provide a solution for creating independently versioning, mutually distrustful components, and allow them to work together. We tackle the two problematic – versioning and isolation – together.

At PDC05, Thomas Quinn, an architect on our team, responsible for VSTO and VSTA, and Jim Miller, a CLR architect, responsible for several platform components related to versioning support in the CLR, among other things, jointly presented the platform framework for managed Addin’s. See the PDC FUN309 session.

...

System.AddIn.dll and the System.AddIn namespace

• The NS will first be made available to the public in the VSTA/O12 release in the second half of 2006.
• The VSTA product and MAF have been announced at PDC 2005.
• First available in VSTA/O12 and then made available broadly in Orcas as part of the platform (CLR).
..."

I missed this at PDC 2005. Time to break out the DVD's... ;)

It's good to see MS getting serious about the add-in model/pattern. I just hope it DOES come in the Office 12 time-frame. But even if it does, I might wait until v2/Orcas version before investing too much time into it. I'd rather not get burned by getting sucked into a dead-end/interim API (been there, done that, got the t-shirt).

(via del.icio.us/foobarbaroni/dotnet)