Upcoming Important Changes to Microsoft .NET Workflow Service

Question

Please see this blog post for upcoming changes to Microsoft .NET Workflow Service.

Answer 1

The blog post contains a rather strange description of “service improvements.”

A description of the modifications required by July 1 would be appreciated, too

--rj

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OakLeaf Blog

Answer 2

Forgive my confusion, but does this mean that production Azure, when it launches, will

1) not have any workflow services component, 3.5 or 4.0; or
2) include .net 4.0 workflow services and enhancement work has ceased on the existing 3.5 implementation?

Clarification is greatly appreciated.

Answer 3

The way I read the tea leaves is there will be no .NET Workflow services component in future CTPs or the release version. .NET Workflow services will be reinstated some (undetermined) time after MSFT RTMs the new Workflow services in .NET 4.0.

I've seen no evidence of the purported "consistent discussion is the Microsoft .NET Workflow Service delivered via .NET Services, and how it relates to the Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) in the .NET Framework." Nor have I heard "One of the comments that we’ve consistently heard about the .NET Workflow Service is that you want the Workflow Service to be built on .NET Framework 4‘s workflow engine." I certainly haven't encountered requests to remove Workflow services until the .NET 4.0 version is available.
 
--rj

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OakLeaf Blog

Answer 4

Then it would seem the next obvious need is some form of schedule around .Net 4.0 release.  I understand the differences in moving to 4.0 are significant but unless the re-addition of workflow services is <6 months after launch of Azure then I have to really wonder how having nothing is better than having something.?  By this logic SharePoint would not ship with workflow either because it's based on 3.0 (presumably vNext on 3.5) and simply wait for 4.0 to release.