Microsoft Windows Vista Developer Center : A Guided Tour of Windows Presentation Foundation

Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly known as "Avalon") is the new strategic graphics subsystem in Windows that provides a unified approach to user interface, 2D and 3D graphics, documents and media. Built on the .NET Framework foundation and utilizing Direct3D for vector-based rendering, it provides a powerful solution for building immersive applications of all kinds. Furthermore, Windows Presentation Foundation enables designers to be an integral part of the development process by providing declarative programming models for "toolability" and flexibility.