Here's a consolidated list of all the key downloads you'll need to update your developer workstation to the latest and greatest technologies announced this morning:

  • Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1
    • Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 (x86)
    • Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 (x64)
    • Windows XP (x86)
    • Windows Server 2003 SP2 (x86)
    • Windows Server 2003 SP2 / Windows XP (x64)
  • Silverlight 2 Beta 1 Runtime
  • Silverlight 2 Tools for Visual Studio 2008 and SDK
  • Updated: Source Code / Unit Tests for Silverlight 2 Controls
  • Expression Studio 2 Beta (contains Blend, Design, Encoder, Media and Web)
  • Expression Blend 2.5 March 2008 Preview
  • Updated: Expression DeepZoom Composer
  • ASP.NET MVC Preview 2

A couple of tips:

  • The Silverlight 2 Tools release (third item above) includes the Silverlight 2 runtime and the SDK. You don't need to install the runtime separately first: just run the tools installer and you'll have everything you need.
  • The Visual Studio extensions don't work with the Express editions - make sure you've got the full Visual Studio 2008 installed before attempting to install them.
  • If you installed Silverlight 1.1 Alpha, uninstall it first, along with any related tools or SDKs before installing Silverlight 2 Beta 1. I watched someone get into a bit of a mess this morning by trying to update Silverlight 1.1 Alpha in-place. Fortunately, they were still able to uninstall and reinstall, but you're definitely best to start with a clean machine.

Have fun!