For anyone else curious about this;
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/roadmap.aspx
"The Next Wave: "Visual Studio for Yukon"
The next major Microsoft platform release, as represented on the Developer Tools Roadmap 20022004, is SQL Server "Yukon." "Yukon" is the code name for the release of SQL Server that embeds the CLR, along with support for multiple programming languages, in the database engine itself. This means that software developers will now be able to use familiar languages such as Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET, Visual C# .NET, and Visual J# .NET to develop their SQL Server stored procedures, improving the flexibility and security of their applications. In order to achieve this, a major version of the .NET Framework, version 2.0, will be developed in parallel with a significant update to Visual Studio itself, "Visual Studio for Yukon."
The integration between .NET technologies, SQL Server and Microsoft development tools will represent a major enhancement to developer productivity. Developers will be able to leverage their mid-tier development skills easily on the data tier without changing the languages or techniques in which they code. Plus, with the enhancements to the graphical development environment in Visual Studio .NET and the tight integration with SQL Server "Yukon", developers will have an unparalleled ability to build applications (both Windows and Web applications) that integrate the most powerful development tool with the most powerful data management platform.
Microsoft will use the "Visual Studio for Yukon" release to make strides in all major dimensions of our tools vision, enabling users to continue advancing their own development capabilities. While it is too early to know specific features, here are some of the themes being used in the planning for "Visual Studio for Yukon":
Tight integration and support for SQL Server. Visual Studio .NET, today, has very tight integration and features for customers building applications that use SQL Server. With "Visual Studio for Yukon," SQL Server and Visual Studio will be even more tightly integrated. SQL Server will host the CLR and developers can leverage their development skills whether they are building on the mid-tier or the data tier in their applications. "Visual Studio for Yukon" will deliver major advancements in the ease of use and graphical development environment when developing SQL Server applications.
Extended support for XML Web services. Currently, companies are investigating, experimenting with, and deploying XML Web services as a means to significantly reduce application integration costs. In the "Visual Studio for Yukon" time frame, Microsoft believes today's successful results will lead to XML Web services becoming the core of the enterprise architecture. "Visual Studio for Yukon" will enable advanced capabilities for designing and orchestrating multiple XML Web services and integrating with a wide variety of other enterprise assets and deployment environments.
Extended innovation on each of the four major Microsoft languages. Developers gravitate to the languages in Visual Studio for the unique roles they play: Visual Basic is the most productive, Visual C++ offers the greatest power and control, Visual C# advances the state-of-the-art in language capabilities, and Visual J# enables Java-language developers to build applications on the .NET Framework. In the "Visual Studio for Yukon" release, Microsoft will build on these roles and innovate in each of the four languages to deepen the synergies between tool and language.
Improved IDE productivity and community support. Visual Studio .NET is the recognized leader in developer productivity. "Visual Studio for Yukon" will continue to innovate with many new and powerful capabilities that help developers express themselves more rapidly and with greater fidelity than ever before. Rapid Application Development (RAD) debugging, first available in Visual Basic, will be extended to Visual Basic .NET and other managed languages. A further effort will extend the IDE to a developer's specific community, bringing additional resources and support when the developer needs them.
Office programmability. The tools and components within Microsoft Office® are widely used as a foundation for smart client application development, and "Visual Studio for Yukon" will seek to unify the programming experience between Visual Studio .NET and Office. "Visual Studio for Yukon" will deliver support in the Visual Studio IDE for Office development, while simultaneously continuing support for the popular VBA development approach. With "Visual Studio for Yukon" the full breadth of Microsoft Office will be available for the first time to developers using Visual Studio .NET.
The "Visual Studio for Yukon" release will represent a significant milestone. Following the "Yukon" wave, the next planned platform update is the Windows release code-named "Longhorn." A tools update, "Visual Studio for Longhorn," will support the managed interfaces, enhanced user interface features, and other new capabilities of the updated platform.
Over the course of this three year roadmap, Microsoft plans a steady stream of innovation in both tools and platforms, offering the businesses of today and tomorrow superior tools with which to meet their evolving business needs. Microsoft will continue its commitment to bringing people innovative, productive tools to help them take maximum advantage of the underlying platform, and achieve success while building powerful and effective software solutions."
Time do to a google search on Yukon and see what I can find out.