Are VS 2005 Express Products real VS 2005?

[Guest]

Just found out that there is an Express Products edition for VS 2005, and it
is free for downloading from Microsoft web site. Is this just an evaluation
version? Or a real VS.net 2005 for small projects?

If we just want to develop ASP.net web pages using VB.net, will these
Express Products good enough for our needs? Any limitations?

TIA,
Jeffrey

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

a real VS.net 2005 for small projects?

Not only for small projects.

re:

If we just want to develop ASP.net web pages using VB.net, will these
Express Products good enough for our needs?

For web projects using VB.NET, you'll only need Visual Web Developer.

The other Express products are for Console/Windows executables,
one for each development language.

re:

Any limitations?

Here's a handy feature comparison chart :

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa700921.aspx

In particular, if you need to :

1. develop for mobile devices
2. create/modify tables and stored procedures remotely
3. use a Class Designer and/or Object Test Bench
4. edit XSLT and not just XML
5. use deployment tools
6. use Crystal Reports
7. have source code control
8. execute remote debugging
9. have 64-bit compiler support

....you'll need at least VS 2005's Standard edition.

If you don't need those capabilities, you'll do fine with VWD.

 

[Cowboy \(Gregory A. Beamer\)]

To add to what Juan has stated.

THe Express products are free and they are available for creating
professional projects. They have some limitations, however.

With the full Visual Studio, you can create multiple projects in a single
solution. The Express products limit you. If you want to create libraries,
you download C# Express. If you want to create websites, you have to
reference the projects you have created (compiled into assemblies) and
create the web site in Web Designer Express.

After awhile, it is painful. If you can live with the pain, there is nothing
wrong with continuing on this path.

 

[Cowboy \(Gregory A. Beamer\)]

One more thing that might be of interest. MS is giving away VS 2005
Standard, which is even better than the Express products:

http://www.microsoft.com/business/vb2005upgrade/default.mspx

 

[Guest]

Cowboy,

Thanks.

BTW, do you know how to use ASP.net ASPNET login/userID to load SQL Server
database to aspx web page? I tried Integrated mode with Impersonation and it
worked only for users logged in to the test server. The TestServer\ASPNET
login seemed to be not accepted by SQL Server Enterprise Manager.

TIA,
Jeffrey