EntityFramework + LINQ vs. O/R-Mappers with UML and Schema Generation Support

Sorry for the late response, I will try and address the various questions:

>> (can you) Issue Query agains ER-Model (Mapping) using LINQ and get Objects of a predefined (modeled) typed that includes business logic

The EDM is a mechanism for expressing a conceptual model for a given domain, as such it can work well for people who think about domain driven design, domain modeling, or other design methodologies where one expresses static shape of first class artifacts of a domain using a common set of constructs. The EDM does not provide a mechanism for expressing action semantics and as such does not model business logic. Having said that, using ADO.NET one can generate classes with from a conceptual model and extend the generated classes (via partial classes) with business logic if you so desire. This allows for a two-step process of creating your domain model and then extending it. I would not be surprised to see vendors in the future allowing decoration of EDM models with Action Semantics that result in some level of generative business logic but that is not our immediate intent.

>> Will Entity Framework support DDL Generation

We have a fairly substantial list of tools we would like to provide and high on that list is DDL Generation. I am not certain as to our overall plans as to when such a tool would be released though.

>> If you had to explain the technical not notational difference between OO-Models and ER-Models and the associated limits that your approach has what would you say

I am not sure I get what you are looking for but it may be along the lines of what I alluded to in the first response. Many people who look at OO models think in terms of first class objects that model state and behavior. Interestingly, however, most OOAD methodologies are good at modeling state and often fall short in terms of modeling behavior. The action semantics work in OMG related to UML is a good example of people trying to model behavior. The ER model that we have is designed to model state, it lends itself well for domain analysis and we believe that it has a great fit for contract-first development in terms of defining the 'data contract' aspects of the contracts (for example in service orientation). As we just model state the ER model can be the first artifact for a generative solution for an OOAD methodology.

...Hope this helps.

Tim M

TimMallalieu-MSFT at 2007-8-31 >