Plip is talking about workflows, and I really think this is actually an important step in software design. We all build workflows into our applications, even if we don't realise this is exactly what they are. Building Workflow into the platform allows all aspects of applications, and indeed multiple applications, to participate in a workflow. Like several of the things I've seen over the last two weeks, I could use this now, however much of an alpha product it is. James, a friend of mine who is a DE on the workflow team, gave me a copy of the book members of the team have authored, and I plan to download the beta and start working through it. You can find out more at the workflow site.
On another note I received the Framework Design Guidelines book from Addison-Wesley, which looks interesting. Essentially a whole bunch of do's and don'ts, with inline comments from the authors and reviewers - an interesting concept.
[Listening to: Bob Harris Country - - ]