I've installed this morning the web deployment project ctp for VS 2008 and immediately had an error with merging connectionStrings for my release build.  It presents with error WDP00002: missing section connectionStrings.  This is occurring because the project is not copying from the TempBuildDir to the output directory before the merge process.  The result is that it's trying to merge the connection string section into a web.config file that doesn't actually exist.  This should also work for the missing appSettings posted on some of the forums - but I haven't test that

After a bit of research, I thought I'd found the solution here, but had to modify it slightly.  For me, it works when I move it into the AfterMerge target of the deployment project - like thus    

<Target Name="AfterMerge">	

	<CreateItem Include="$(TempBuildDir)\**\*.*">		

		<Output ItemName="CompiledFiles" TaskParameter="Include" />	

	</CreateItem>	

	<Exec Command="if exist &quot;$(WDTargetDir)&quot; rd /s /q &quot;$(WDTargetDir)&quot;" />	

	<Exec Command="if not exist &quot;$(WDTargetDir)&quot; md &quot;$(WDTargetDir)&quot;" />	

	<Copy SourceFiles="@(CompiledFiles)" DestinationFolder="$(WDTargetDir)\%(CompiledFiles.SubFolder)%(CompiledFiles.RecursiveDir)" />	

	<Exec Command="if exist &quot;$(TempBuildDir)&quot; rd /s /q &quot;$(TempBuildDir)&quot;" />

</Target>

Hopefully they'll fix this for the release build.

Why can't we have a churn for the banking sector?  You go in to, say...  Colonial First State, and say "I want all my accounts with you.  Here are all my details.  Make it happen".  And then somebody at the bank goes through and chases up all your existing accounts, arranges the papers for your new accounts, organises the payout figures, arranges the cancellation of credit cards, and voila...  you have all your accounts with your new bank.

Is it any wonder people don't leave change their existing accounts.  Over the last few days I've spent about 5 hours arranging a new personal loan, and the payout and closure of my old personal loan, visa card, and personal transaction account.  The scary thing is - that's five hours of waiting in queues and filling out paperwork.  If a bank really wants my business, and they offered me that ability to just automagically churn my accounts, there's a better than even chance they'd get it.

Hmm... customer service from a bank.  I'd like to see that.