The project, to be released on July 15, consists of a free Visual Studio 2005 Software Factory add-in providing content, technology, and templates for building applications for Vista and .Net Framework 3.0. Also featured is workflow-based guidance. Content is to be delivered via RSS feeds.

Microsoft has described its Software Factories concept as providing an automated approach to software development that uses visual languages for assembly and configuration of framework-based components. The technology was said to be years away by Microsoft in late-2004.

"Project Glidepath is designed to provide the knowledge you, as a MicroISV, need to be successful by providing step-by-step instructions for everything from how to get started with Windows Presentation Foundation to how to write and publish a press release," according to the project's blog. A MicroISV has been defined as a one- to three-person ISV.

Project Glidepath is due to be unveiled at the Shareware Industry Conference (http://www.sic.org/) in Denver.

Vista is due in 2007. Microsoft recently renamed its WinFX technologies Net Framework 3.0.