title: Is LINQ (or linq) a niche tool, or is it on the path to becoming foundational?
body: <p>After reading "<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1217228/what-is-the-java-equivalent-for-linq">What is the Java equivalent of LINQ?</a>", I'd like to know, is (lowercase) language-integrated query - in other words the ability to use a concise syntax for performing queries over object collections or external stores - going to be the path of the future for most general purpose languages?  Or is LINQ an interesting piece of technology that will remain confined to Microsoft languages? Something in between?</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT</strong>: I don't know other languages, but as I am learning it seems like LINQ is neither unprecedented nor unique.  The ideas in LINQ - lambdas and queries - are present in other languages, and the ideas seem to be spreading.  </p>