With the release of Orcas (now at beta 1) developers can create database applications like never before. Microsoft managed to extend C# / VB to also include what is called Language Integrated Query or (LINQ). Database querying can now be accomplished right within the language eliminating the need for a developer to be concerned with the database complexities as interfacing SQL queries as strings. Query interfacing is now done through use of strongly typed variables that can quickly be enumerated like that of lists or arrays.

Here are a nice set of short “Linq to SQL” videos by Mike Taulty:

1. Introduction to LINQ to SQL (13:00, April 16, 2007)
2. A Tour Around the DataContext (18:00, April 17, 2007)
3. Mapping Between Types and Schema (13:00, April 18, 2007)
4. Tools for Generating Mapping Information (14:00, April 19, 2007)
5. Inserting Data (09:00, April 20, 2007)
6. Deleting Data (15:00, April 23, 2007)
7. Updating Data (20:00, April 24, 2007)
8. Concurrency (19:00, April 25, 2007)
9. Joins (13:00, April 26, 2007)
10. Dealing with NULLs (09:00, April 27, 2007)
11. When Do Queries Execute? (08:00, April 30, 2007)
12. Deferred Loading in LINQ to SQL (12:00, May 1, 2007)
13. Querying with Stored Procedures in LINQ to SQL (24:00, May 2, 2007)
14. Modification with Stored Procedures in LINQ to SQL (18:00, May 3, 2007)
15. Calling Standard T-SQL Functions in LINQ to SQL (05:00, May 4, 2007)
16. Calling Custom T-SQL Functions in LINQ to SQL (13:00, May 8, 2007)
17. Inheritance in LINQ to SQL (18:46, May 9, 2007)
18. Transactions in LINQ to SQL (06:51, May 10, 2007)

It would be a good idea to get the basics down and start with the first video. Also, C# has now expanded into a very large superset (C# 3.0). For new developers in C# .Net, be sure to understand the basics of C# 1.0 and 2.0.