Updateable LINQ

I have written a L2S-based implementation of something very similar. See http://blog.huagati.com/res/index.php/2008/11/05/architecture-linq-to-sql-and-set-based-operations-update-statements/

First, congradulations on you book. I assume you're planning something for the EF:)

As for the idea of an sql dml update within Linq (to sql) ,while desirable by many and expedient, I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of Linq. Here's Anders on the place

of sql in Linq:

Interview of Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Anders Hejlsberg

'Microsoft's Hejlsberg touts .Net, C-Omega technologies'

June 10, 2005

http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/06/10/HNhejlsberg_1.html

"..let's take C#, let's try and take SQL, let's try and take XML or XQuery and let's all sort of put them into one big bowl and stir and see what comes out of it"

And more specifically:

"So what we're looking at is really trying to much more deeply integrate the  capabilities of query languages and data into the C# programming language. And I don't specifically mean SQL, and I emphatically don't mean just take SQL and slap it into C# and have SQL in there. But rather try to understand what is it expressively that you can do in SQL and add those same capabilities to C#."

So it shouldn't be surprising if MS isn't thinking along the lines of a dml update. My guess is they will come at such an update in a different way than sql (if at all). Isn't the spirit of Linq to be 'different':)

More thoughts on the fascinating subject of Linq I've expressed on this site:

Linq to Sql: the 'what' and 'why' of it

http://beyondsql.blogspot.com/2008/11/linq-to-sql-what-and-why-of-it.html

Linq to Sql vs. older 4GL attempts

http://beyondsql.blogspot.com/2008/11/linq-to-sql-vs-older-4gl-attempts.html

Linq to Sql should be important to sql users

http://beyondsql.blogspot.com/2008/11/linq-to-sql-should-be-important-to-sql.html

Linq to Sql as an opportunity to sql users

http://beyondsql.blogspot.com/2008/11/linq-to-sql-as-opportunity-to-sql-users.html