It looks like the ASP.NET team is not resting on it's hind quaters. Check out what they are up to next, best said in their own words: “The Atlas Client Script Framework is an extensible, object-oriented 100% JavaScript client framework that allows you to easily build AJAX-style browser applications with rich UI and connectivity to web services. With Atlas, you can write web applications that use a lot of DHTML, Javascript, and XMLHTTP, without having to be an expert in any of these technologies.”
The coolest part is in the next steps: “We see Atlas as the best way to write a whole new generation of richer, more interactive, more personalized experiences in browser applications. Avalon is the next generation presentation model for Microsoft, and will let you build the richest user experiences on the Windows platform. Avalon will deliver phenomenal graphical experiences that use the latest in media integration and hardware acceleration. And Avalon will also let you provide persistent, immersive experiences that go beyond the browser.”