Right in the midst of the ongoing PDC, Microsoft has released a major update on the information package for the platform code named "Oslo".

The purpose of "Oslo" is to increase productivity by mainstreaming model-driven application development based on domain-specific models. The current "Oslo" package comes with a set of best practices, idioms and patterns as well as an entire new language, the MGrammar, which is used as a textual means of writing a domain-specific language.

Domain-driven development in general and model-driven development in particular aims to decrease the gap between the organization and the development team in order to enhance communication. By using common languages and models to describe issues and solutions, the risk of misunderstanding along the development process can be minimized.

Unlike Microsoft's previous attempts at modeling tools, "Oslo" is not just a simple BDUF application that messes up the development process by building a scenario that will be impossible to implement in the long run. It remains relevant throughout the entire project lifecycle, acting as a communications instrument between the development team and its stakeholders.