Vista - .NEt 3.0(Windows Workflow Foundation)

Hi,

Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating this over
other products like BPM and K2

A couple of questions-:

1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to do it
outside of VS 2005?

2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms. Are
WebForms supported?

Hello C,

> Hi,
>
> Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> this over other products like BPM and K2
>
> A couple of questions-:
>
> 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> do it outside of VS 2005?
>
> 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> Are WebForms supported?
>

You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
site. You'll find a ton of information there.

http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx

-Paul

Thanks Paul.

"Paul Czywczynski" wrote:

> Hello C,
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> > this over other products like BPM and K2
> >
> > A couple of questions-:
> >
> > 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> > do it outside of VS 2005?
> >
> > 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> > Are WebForms supported?
> >
>
> You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
> is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
> site. You'll find a ton of information there.
>
> http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx
>
> -Paul
>
>
>

Hi C,

The next version of K2.net, code named Black Pearl, has several design
canvasses based on the target user. If developer, it is in VS.net
2005. There will also be other ways to design and deploy workflows for
non-technical users.

The underlying technology used in the next version is WF, but K2.net
BlackPearl will get you up and running quicker, as all the plumbing has
been taken care of for you. It is a win-win situation, as you will have
an exterprise BPM suite, that you can extend using WF or .net code in
an familiar environment.


C wrote:
> Thanks Paul.
>
> "Paul Czywczynski" wrote:
>
> > Hello C,
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> > > this over other products like BPM and K2
> > >
> > > A couple of questions-:
> > >
> > > 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> > > do it outside of VS 2005?
> > >
> > > 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> > > Are WebForms supported?
> > >
> >
> > You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
> > is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
> > site. You'll find a ton of information there.
> >
> > http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx
> >
> > -Paul
> >
> >
> >

I had a look at K2. It would help me get things up and running quicker.

However it costs around £30K GBP.

Whereas the MS Windows Workflow Foundation ships with Vista.

I am using Windows XP SP2 so I presume it will still be free?

"stephanhuman@gmail.com" wrote:

> Hi C,
>
> The next version of K2.net, code named Black Pearl, has several design
> canvasses based on the target user. If developer, it is in VS.net
> 2005. There will also be other ways to design and deploy workflows for
> non-technical users.
>
> The underlying technology used in the next version is WF, but K2.net
> BlackPearl will get you up and running quicker, as all the plumbing has
> been taken care of for you. It is a win-win situation, as you will have
> an exterprise BPM suite, that you can extend using WF or .net code in
> an familiar environment.
>
>
> C wrote:
> > Thanks Paul.
> >
> > "Paul Czywczynski" wrote:
> >
> > > Hello C,
> > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> > > > this over other products like BPM and K2
> > > >
> > > > A couple of questions-:
> > > >
> > > > 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> > > > do it outside of VS 2005?
> > > >
> > > > 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> > > > Are WebForms supported?
> > > >
> > >
> > > You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
> > > is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
> > > site. You'll find a ton of information there.
> > >
> > > http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx
> > >
> > > -Paul
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>

The benefit that K2.NET gives is that it comes with a bunch of pre-defined
workflows, which can be combined to cover a range of development and business
scenarios.
It's foundation is 'workflow foundation', or WWF. This is part of the .NET
3.0 framework - which isn't 'officially' released yet (nor is BlackPearl),
but is currently a free download from the Microsoft Web site. If you wanted
to 'go-live' before release then you have to sign a 'go-live' agreement. It
runs on practically anything, in your case XP SP2

If you're planning to create an Enterprise wide buisiness solution requiring
a large number of distinct workflows then obviously your choice would depend
upon the complexity of those workflows and the skills required to create
them. BlackPearl etc have specific designers to make this easy and business
folk can almost define their own processes.

If on the other hand your wanting to create a small number of workflows and
have them 'tailored' then consider WWF, but this then requires different
skills and toolsets.

30k is just the starting price of K2.NET - considered the CALs

..NET 3.0 will be free - but the tools to develop it won't (unless you use
eval versions)


"C" wrote:

> I had a look at K2. It would help me get things up and running quicker.
>
> However it costs around £30K GBP.
>
> Whereas the MS Windows Workflow Foundation ships with Vista.
>
> I am using Windows XP SP2 so I presume it will still be free?
>
> "stephanhuman@gmail.com" wrote:
>
> > Hi C,
> >
> > The next version of K2.net, code named Black Pearl, has several design
> > canvasses based on the target user. If developer, it is in VS.net
> > 2005. There will also be other ways to design and deploy workflows for
> > non-technical users.
> >
> > The underlying technology used in the next version is WF, but K2.net
> > BlackPearl will get you up and running quicker, as all the plumbing has
> > been taken care of for you. It is a win-win situation, as you will have
> > an exterprise BPM suite, that you can extend using WF or .net code in
> > an familiar environment.
> >
> >
> > C wrote:
> > > Thanks Paul.
> > >
> > > "Paul Czywczynski" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hello C,
> > > >
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> > > > > this over other products like BPM and K2
> > > > >
> > > > > A couple of questions-:
> > > > >
> > > > > 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> > > > > do it outside of VS 2005?
> > > > >
> > > > > 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> > > > > Are WebForms supported?
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
> > > > is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
> > > > site. You'll find a ton of information there.
> > > >
> > > > http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx
> > > >
> > > > -Paul
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >

Thanks ADG.

"ADG" wrote:

> The benefit that K2.NET gives is that it comes with a bunch of pre-defined
> workflows, which can be combined to cover a range of development and business
> scenarios.
> It's foundation is 'workflow foundation', or WWF. This is part of the .NET
> 3.0 framework - which isn't 'officially' released yet (nor is BlackPearl),
> but is currently a free download from the Microsoft Web site. If you wanted
> to 'go-live' before release then you have to sign a 'go-live' agreement. It
> runs on practically anything, in your case XP SP2
>
> If you're planning to create an Enterprise wide buisiness solution requiring
> a large number of distinct workflows then obviously your choice would depend
> upon the complexity of those workflows and the skills required to create
> them. BlackPearl etc have specific designers to make this easy and business
> folk can almost define their own processes.
>
> If on the other hand your wanting to create a small number of workflows and
> have them 'tailored' then consider WWF, but this then requires different
> skills and toolsets.
>
> 30k is just the starting price of K2.NET - considered the CALs
>
> .NET 3.0 will be free - but the tools to develop it won't (unless you use
> eval versions)
>
>
> "C" wrote:
>
> > I had a look at K2. It would help me get things up and running quicker.
> >
> > However it costs around £30K GBP.
> >
> > Whereas the MS Windows Workflow Foundation ships with Vista.
> >
> > I am using Windows XP SP2 so I presume it will still be free?
> >
> > "stephanhuman@gmail.com" wrote:
> >
> > > Hi C,
> > >
> > > The next version of K2.net, code named Black Pearl, has several design
> > > canvasses based on the target user. If developer, it is in VS.net
> > > 2005. There will also be other ways to design and deploy workflows for
> > > non-technical users.
> > >
> > > The underlying technology used in the next version is WF, but K2.net
> > > BlackPearl will get you up and running quicker, as all the plumbing has
> > > been taken care of for you. It is a win-win situation, as you will have
> > > an exterprise BPM suite, that you can extend using WF or .net code in
> > > an familiar environment.
> > >
> > >
> > > C wrote:
> > > > Thanks Paul.
> > > >
> > > > "Paul Czywczynski" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hello C,
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Am a few hours new to Windows Workflow Foundation. I am evaluating
> > > > > > this over other products like BPM and K2
> > > > > >
> > > > > > A couple of questions-:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 1)Can I design my Workflow withing Visual Studio 2005 or do I need to
> > > > > > do it outside of VS 2005?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 2)Alot of examples I see use WinForms. I will only be using WebForms.
> > > > > > Are WebForms supported?
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > You can write workflows in VS2005 if you have the extensions installed. ASP.NET
> > > > > is well supported as well. Here is a link to Microsoft's Workflow sample
> > > > > site. You'll find a ton of information there.
> > > > >
> > > > > http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/t...y/default.aspx
> > > > >
> > > > > -Paul
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >

I have to take exception to characterizing WF as FREE! You get some DLLs and a designer in VS.net. You have no host or managed execution environment, not to mention reporting or analytics. You're writing a whole lot of code to get something that even closely resembles a process you could build in a K2.net-like solution OOB. It's my understanding that K2.net is built on top of WF and that they have been working on it for a couple years. I wonder how "FREE" it was for them to make that investment?

If you're honestly going to go down that path you might as well take IIS and ASP.NET and build your own portal while your at it.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but do you want to build infrastructure on top of infrastructure that inherently provides no value to your business or focus on building solutions that solve specific business problems?