So you really want to take a look at the new Visual Studio 2005 and Windows Forms 2.0 features but aren't on the beta list? Looking for a way to have the power of VS at home for that little side project you've been wanting to do but don't want to spend a fortune for it?
Well, check out the new VB 2005 Express or Visual C# 2005 Express betas available now for download. That's right, public download. The Express versions are targeted at hobbiest or "non-professional" programmers and are designed to get people up and moving as quickly as possible. If you need to do some data work, you can also download and install the SQL Server 2005 Express Edition as well. These are repackagings of the same Visual Studio technology that you'd be getting in the full version, but without all the enterprise-level features. The downloads are also relatively small (not sure what the number is off the top of my head but I when I tested the install a few weeks ago, it only took a few minutes over the cable modem).
You'll get the beta of the .NET Framework 2.0 (Codenamed Whidbey) as well so you'll have access to all the new Windows Forms stuff too. We're really looking for feedback on things like ToolStrips and the DataGridView, so please use the MSDN Feedback center if you run into issues.
I wasn involved in the original planning group for these things and it is really great to see them come to life. I truely believe we're doing the right thing by providing a product across the full range of customers and making it more accessible for people to use our tools.