The great guys on the StyleCop project have now released StyleCop 4.7.4.0 which now has VS11 preview support.

It also gives support for new templates which unlike the visual studio supplied templates are StyleCop compliant and it also supports the Async CTP.

Get it here

b.

A series of updates are available for Enterprise Library and Unity and a few other bits of general interest

There is an update for the Enterprise Library 5.0 which is only required if you are using the Silverlight Integration Pack and need WCF RIA Services Integration or configuration tool support. get it here

However the most interesting development is a version of the Enterprise Library for Silverlight developers get it here it contains Caching Application Block, Exception Handling Application Block, Logging Application Block, Policy Injection Application Block, Validation Application Block, and Unity Application Block allowing you to develop best practice effectively.

Just in case you don't have the Enterprise library you can get it here

Microsoft Unity 2.1 is a dependency injection container. this is a minor update on Unity get it here , I also recommend you visit the Patterns and Practices page for Unity here

There is also a port of Unity 2.1 for Silverlight here

if you need to learn how to use these great libraries there is of course a Hands On Labs (HOL) for Enterprise Library 5.0 here

b

Microsoft as ever have been busy with new drops and SP1 refreshes of technology for us all to embrace and here is a summary update for this month

The Microsoft F# (2.0.0.0), April 2011 Community Technology Preview is available here

While not all new if you are looking at F# I would suggest keeping an eye on

F# PowerPack

F# Samples

F# Developer Center

For learning F# check out the Try F# tutorials here

Anders announced that in the new generation of the .Net languages at PDC 2010 more compiler automation of classic tasks in this case Async functions and beyond will be possible. You can watch it here. The SP1 previews of the new compilers are available now (see below)

C# Language Specification for Asynchronous Functions get it here

VB Language Specification for Asynchronous Functions get it here

A general overview of  Asynchrony in .NET is available as a Whitepaper here

Visual Studio Async CTP including the language changes (SP1 Refresh) get it here

a related useful read is Task-based Asynchronous Pattern which is a new pattern for asynchrony get it here

another interesting document is Introduction to TPL Dataflow which is a library for building parallel and concurrent applications get is here

It is useful to note that while not encouraged the EULA does allow for production use (but on your own head be it)

b.