To my fellow Web Service Developers:

I have repeatedly encountered developers who learn about WSE (Web Service Enhancements) through Google or some other search engine. In many cases, they were not searching for WSE, but instead were searching for "web service security" or "web service outside of IIS". Because the search turned up a WSE article, some of these developers are starting off with WSE when they don't need to.

I want to make clear what I so frequently have to repeat: WSE is obsolete. It has been replaced by WCF (Windows Communication Framework). WSE is not supported by Visual Studio 2008 or above. This should give you an idea about how Microsoft thinks about WSE. If your project is at all important, and if you expect it to last more than a few months, then you will not be doing yourself any favors by depending on this obsolete software.

WCF is supported by .NET 3.0 and above, though your best option would be .NET 3.5 SP1. Some organizations will not upgrade to .NET 3.5 because they are concerned about the impact on their existing .NET 2.0 applications. There is little need for concern: .NET 3.5 SP1 consists of .NET 2.0 SP2 and some additional assemblies that are not used by your existing .NET 2.0 applications. It will also not change your IIS script mappings the same way the upgrading from .NET 1.1to .NET 2.0 did.

Obviously, if you are working on an existing WSE application, then you should upgrade to WSE when you get a chance, but should continue to maintain your application until you upgrade. A small number of you will have no choice but to use WSE for new applications; perhaps youmust still support Windows 2000.If you have no choice but to use WSE, then feel free to post your WSE questions in this forum. I have found that WSE questions are answered more quickly if you put "WSE" into the subject of the question.

Good Luck to All,
John Saunders

Microsoft MVP, Connected Systems
(See https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/john.saunders/)

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John Saunders
Use File->New Project to create Web Service Projects
Use WCF for All New Web Service Development, instead of old ASMX or obsolete WSE

Excellent post, John, and thank you for putting this out there.

Regards,

Ed

Thanks John, This information really helps.