What am I missing by not moving my ASP.NET 2.0 site to ASP.NET 3.5?

Question

I have a web application using ASP.NET 2.0 and I want to know if I should be moving it to ASP.NET 3.5, particularly... what am I missing by not moving to ASP.NET 3.5?

I understand the disadvantages, but I don't understand the advantages.

What are the biggest benefits of migrating/rewriting?

Will I get a speed improvement?

Is MVC that much easier than my old-fashioned WebForm application?

Will it look cooler?

Answer 1

You will only miss access to the newer .NET 3.5 libraries, and cool syntax such as LINQ and lambda expressions. Performance wise they will run the same.

By the way, ASP.NET MVC is NOT included with .NET 3.5...yet.

Answer 2

New C# 3.0 compiler features.

Answer 3

Yes, MVC is that much easier than your old-fashioned WebForm application. So is LINQ to SQL.

Answer 4

I'd say the biggest thing is Linq. At least it is for us, as we're completely replacing the old data layer with it! (Slowly, but surely.)

Answer 5

LINQ, dude. LINQ. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. ORM is fun again!

Answer 6

LINQ, but not LINQ to SQL (which I don't really like). LINQ to XML and LINQ to Objects are fantastic.

Answer 7

Lambda expressions FTW! Linq's extension methods for collections combined with lambda expressions are awesome.

Answer 8

Nobody has mentioned Extension methods yet?!? See http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/03/13/new-orcas-language-feature-extension-methods.aspx

And the items above (especially LINQ, Lambda expression, object, collection, and property initializers, etc.).

Answer 9

There are also other MVC framework that works with .net2 (monorail, promesh,...), so mvc is not related to framework version, it is just a pattern.

But, new framework features that I use and find useful:

• LINQ, LINQ2SQL
• Extension methods
• WCF services
• WF