What You Need to Use LINQ

LINQ is a combination of extensions to .NET languages and class libraries that support them. To use it, you'll need the following:

• Obviously LINQ, which is available from the new Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 that you can download at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7755937.

• You can speed up your application development time with LINQ using Visual Studio 2008, which offers visual tools such as LINQ to SQL designer and the Intellisense support with LINQ's syntax. You can obtain a 90-day trial version of Visual Studio 2008 at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/enus/vstudio/products/aa700831.aspx.

• Optionally, you can download the Visual C# 2008 Expression Edition tool at www.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/download. It is the free edition of Visual Studio 2008 and offers a lot of LINQ support such as Intellisense and LINQ to SQL designer. To use LINQ to ADO.NET, you need SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, or SQL Server 2000.