What will happen to Async once .NET 4.5 ships?

Question

I find the async features really exciting. The fact that the Async CTP installs on top of .NET 4 means that it works with legacy systems such as XP SP3 or Vista, and this is great.

However, .NET 4.5 will apparently only be available for systems starting with Windows 7. No Vista, no XP.

I cannot afford to spend weeks investing in the async technology to make our products more responsive (using the CTP), to discover later on, when the feature goes RTM, that it is no longer available separately from .NET 4.5. This would mean that about 35% of our customers won't benefit from it and won't be able to upgrade to our updated applications.

Can someone at Microsoft (Stephen?) elaborate on the plans? Will async be available to XP and Vista users, once it ships?

Answer 1

We’re looking at what it would take, but haven't yet announced any plans I'm afraid.

What it would take is a new version AsyncCTPLibrary.dll (and AsyncCTPLibrary_Silverlight.dll), but changed to use the new faster compiler async pattern of VS11 rather than the old one from AsyncCTP.

Answer 2

Does this mean that all hope is not lost? And that we might be able to use C# 5 with .NET 4 on XP SP3?

Answer 3

I can't comment on hope -- only on technical details of what we've announced!

It is technically possible to use async in C#5/VB11 targeting .NET4 so long as you have an appropriate compatibility library. David Grunwald for instance made the beginnings of a such a compatibility library: https://gist.github.com/1961087. We're looking into the possibility of releasing such a compatibility library ourselves but haven't announced plans.

Answer 4

Thank you very much for your clarification.

Answer 5

Until MS release such a compatibility library, we've adapted David Grunwald's code into a full-blown library called AsyncBridge, which you can get via nuget: http://nuget.org/packages/AsyncBridge.

Source is available through GitHub: http://github.com/OmerMor/AsyncBridge.

I hope it helps!

 

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Omer Mor

Answer 6

Hi Omer, this work looks really promising. It is a way out, if ever Microsoft did chose not to downport Async. Daniel Grunwald's idea is pretty simple and straightforward, what makes it even more appealing. Thank you for sharing.

Answer 7

I am right in thinking  framework 4.5 web application will be supported on Windows Server 2008?  It's installed and running fine now but I want to be certain it will be supported in RTM etc. since the original poster suggested Win7 and above, although no mention of which server OS is supported.

Answer 8

This is just a comment of a bypasser... I hope this async feature will disappear with time. along with TPL... You are propagating technologies designed for pros to masses who cannot appreciate them. It will only confuse the markets more. The masses will still be biased towards things which dont involve brain activity like script languages and html. The pros will suffer because managers in Anglo-saxon worlds normally refuse to understand what they manage and surely will favour brainless people from the 'masses'.

The major point is that Microsoft was the only sizeable force which obstructed way of brainless power and gave some room for people with brains and skills... Now after you decided to follow the flow there is no obstruction. One might argue that following the flow would be a good business practice for Microsoft revenue-wise however I dont believe it. I believe following the flow will erode Microsoft standing even faster and downfall will happen earlier. No win no win situation.