Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Free -

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 (codenamed "Orcas") is a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that significantly advanced application development for Windows Vista, the 2007 Office system, and the web. Released in November 2007, it was the first version to support multi-targeting, allowing developers to build applications for multiple versions of the .NET Framework (2.0, 3.0, and 3.5) from a single environment. Core Features and Technologies

.NET Framework Multi-Targeting – Developers could build apps for .NET 2.0, 3.0, or 3.5 without switching tools.
LINQ – Native support for Language Integrated Query (LINQ to SQL, LINQ to XML, LINQ to Objects).
JavaScript IntelliSense & Debugging – Significantly improved AJAX / web development support.
Web Designer Split View – Simultaneous design and source view for ASP.NET pages.
WPF & Silverlight Designers – Visual designers for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight 1.0/2.0.
Office 2007 Ribbon UI Support – Build add-ins and document-level customizations for Office 2007.
Unit Testing – Integrated MSTest unit testing framework.
Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2008 – Improved version control, work item tracking, and build automation.

Key Technological Introductions

Visual Studio 2008 was not just an iterative update; it was the vehicle for three major technology shifts: microsoft visual studio 2008

ASP.NET AJAX built-in, enabling rich client interactivity without full page reloads.
AJAX-enabled controls, UpdatePanel, and script manager simplifies partial-page updates.