Microsoft made a number of announcements today around Visual Studio 2010 and its developer tools and programs. Here's the word directly from Microsoft:
Today, Microsoft announced one of the most significant updates to its developer offerings and roadmap vision in years. Today’s announcements include:
Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Beta 2 availability – Available to MSDN subscribers today! General availability will follow on October 21st. To download the beta, visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/default.aspx.
Launch date for Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 – The official launch will take place on March 22nd, 2010.
Visual Studio 2010 packaging and licensing details – Microsoft is announcing a new, streamlined packaging lineup and licensing options for Visual Studio 2010 and MSDN. This includes an "Ultimate Offer" to help customers upgrade to the latest developer tools. For more information on the new packaging and licensing of Visual Studio 2010, visit http://Microsoft.com/VisualStudio.
MSDN redesign – Microsoft is unveiling a drastically improved MSDN, which includes new benefits for all MSDN subscribers. Visit MSDN to see the new improvements!
For more information, check out the Fact Sheet (downloadable in DOCX format). Microsoft's S. "Soma" Somasegar also has some more info on his blog.