I'm catching my breath from a busy week or two (the details are not computer related, so I'll spare you them except for this little hint: www.HRAdventure.com). In reviewing some blog posts, I found this one from Barry Gervin that is a really interesting discussion of DataSets vs Custom Entities: http://objectsharp.com/Blogs/barry/archive/2004/02/10/273.aspx
For the record, I come down on the side of custom entities (using code gen to produce a skeleton object with getters and setters and some attributes to wire up the database code to our persistence agent). I just derive from this base object and of I go!
Speaking of code gen, check out this .Net Rocks episode featuring Kathleen Dollard for a good overview of the topic; her book sounds intriguing too. I still don't know about that .Net Rocks host Carl Franklin . . . it's in this episode or another recent one where he doesn't know what Tightie Whities are. He redeems himself, however, by enjoying a Sam Adams while on the show . . . always a good decision. Still, don't drink and derive!
Happy .Netting!