What compilier for Windows?

[SimonYingling]

I'm a young programmer, but definitly see my self doing this for the
rest of my life. I'm 15 and into C++. I was wondering if a good
compilier for Windows would be Visual C++ 6.0. I have used Dev C++ and
Turbo C++ (at school =x) and am lucking into a better compilier now
that I have money to spend. Any comments are accepted, even if they
are for a different compilier. Thank you in advance.

 

[le ténébreux]

I'm a young programmer, but definitly see my self doing this for the
rest of my life. I'm 15 and into C++. I was wondering if a good
compilier for Windows would be Visual C++ 6.0. I have used Dev C++ and
Turbo C++ (at school =x) and am lucking into a better compilier now
that I have money to spend. Any comments are accepted, even if they
are for a different compilier. Thank you in advance.

If you go for VC++ 6, make sure you get the Professional edition.
When you buy the Standard edition, you install it then discover
that the compiler optimizations have been helpfully disabled by M$.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

I'm a young programmer, but definitly see my self doing this for the
rest of my life. I'm 15 and into C++. I was wondering if a good
compilier for Windows would be Visual C++ 6.0. I have used Dev C++ and
Turbo C++ (at school =x) and am lucking into a better compilier now
that I have money to spend. Any comments are accepted, even if they
are for a different compilier. Thank you in advance.

The latest version of Visual Studio is 2003.

 

[chq]

Try Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, it's free. You can obtain it at M$ website.

 

[EventHelix.com]

You can download the Visual C++ compiler for free from:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 includes the optimizing compiler
included with VC++ 2003.

Deepa

 

[Matthias =?ISO-8859-1?Q?K=E4ppler?=]

I'm a young programmer, but definitly see my self doing this for the
rest of my life. I'm 15 and into C++. I was wondering if a good
compilier for Windows would be Visual C++ 6.0. I have used Dev C++ and
Turbo C++ (at school =x) and am lucking into a better compilier now
that I have money to spend. Any comments are accepted, even if they
are for a different compilier. Thank you in advance.

Just curious: Since Dev-C++ is not a compiler but an IDE, and uses a gcc
Windows port called "Minimalist GNU for Win32" (mingw32), in how far do you
feel the MS compiler would be better?

In fact, my advise would be to NOT start off with a MS compiler when you're
a beginner. You will get used to all those Microsoft specific extensions,
and if you some day want to port your programs you'll have a hard time.

Regards,
Matthias

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

Just curious: Since Dev-C++ is not a compiler but an IDE, and uses a gcc
Windows port called "Minimalist GNU for Win32" (mingw32), in how far do you
feel the MS compiler would be better?

In fact, my advise would be to NOT start off with a MS compiler when you're
a beginner. You will get used to all those Microsoft specific extensions,
and if you some day want to port your programs you'll have a hard time.

Dev-C++ is OK to learn ISO C++. Also nowadays, VC++ is not suitable for
beginners to learn C++ but is oriented to experienced developers to
create Windows (.NET) software fast.

 

[Matthias =?ISO-8859-1?Q?K=E4ppler?=]

Dev-C++ is OK to learn ISO C++.

The point is, Dev-C++ is not a compiler, it's an IDE. Therefore, it doesn't
really have anyting to do with the "learning factor". In fact, it would
actually be best to start off with a bare text editor and a command line
compiler instead of a fully fledged IDE. It only hides those things from
you which you have to learn some day anyway.

Also nowadays, VC++ is not suitable for
beginners to learn C++ but is oriented to experienced developers to
create Windows (.NET) software fast.

My thoughts.

Regards,
Matthias

 

[20thCenturyBoy]

Dev-C++ is OK to learn ISO C++. Also nowadays, VC++ is not suitable for
beginners to learn C++ but is oriented to experienced developers to
create Windows (.NET) software fast.

I disagree. VC++ (2003 edition) is fine for learning C++. Just create
a Win32 console project and you're up and running. I used VC++ with
Accelerated C++ with no problem. To turn off MS extensions just use
the /Za switch.

 

[Duane]

Dev-C++ is OK to learn ISO C++. Also nowadays, VC++ is not suitable for
beginners to learn C++ but is oriented to experienced developers to
create Windows (.NET) software fast.

How so? We do most of our development these days with VC++/Qt.
No .Net at all. No MFC. No managed stuff.

The IDE is OK and the dinkumware libs work fine.
You're not forced to do any .Net or managed stuff. The first setting to
change in the IDE is to disable managed extensions. You can then
build console apps or win32 apps.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

How so? We do most of our development these days with VC++/Qt.
No .Net at all. No MFC. No managed stuff.

I did not say you couldn't do the above. What I said is that it takes
more effort (because it is needed to create a project) to write a "hello
world" program in VC++ 7.1 than in Dev-C++ (where you just create a
..cpp file and hit Compile).


By the way I heard that the latest version of QT supports .NET.

The IDE is OK and the dinkumware libs work fine.
You're not forced to do any .Net or managed stuff. The first setting to
change in the IDE is to disable managed extensions. You can then
build console apps or win32 apps.

I did not say you couldn't do the above.

 

[Mike Smith]

Try Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, it's free. You can obtain it at M$ website.

It also has no IDE, which may not be what the OP is looking for.

 

[Mike Smith]

SimonYingling wrote:




Just curious: Since Dev-C++ is not a compiler but an IDE, and uses a gcc
Windows port called "Minimalist GNU for Win32" (mingw32), in how far do you
feel the MS compiler would be better?

Given that the guy is a beginner, he may not understand the difference
between a compiler and an IDE. Maybe it would be better to explain the
difference than to browbeat the poor guy?

 

[Duane]

I did not say you couldn't do the above. What I said is that it takes
more effort (because it is needed to create a project) to write a "hello
world" program in VC++ 7.1 than in Dev-C++ (where you just create a
.cpp file and hit Compile).

I'd have to agree with that.

By the way I heard that the latest version of QT supports .NET.

We're using 3.3 and it doesn't but I think the 4.0 will. As I say, we don't
currently use .NET stuff so I haven't paid much attention to it yet.

 

[Ioannis Vranos]

We're using 3.3 and it doesn't but I think the 4.0 will. As I say, we don't
currently use .NET stuff so I haven't paid much attention to it yet.

And by the way, you do not need to disable managed extensions to compile
a Win32, ISO C++ or other unmanaged code in VC++.

 

[Matthias =?ISO-8859-1?Q?K=E4ppler?=]

Given that the guy is a beginner, he may not understand the difference
between a compiler and an IDE. Maybe it would be better to explain the
difference than to browbeat the poor guy?

I'm not browbeating him. I'm just wondering why he seems to take it as given
that Borland and MS are better than anything else out there. I just wanted
to *subtly* tell him that the big ones are not necessarily the best ones.

(to original poster):
An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is basically a set of tools
which form a complete programming environment for a given language. Like
Microsoft's Visual Studio. The compiler is just the backend which
translates a given language to another one (usually to machine code or some
form of intermediate language).

Regards,
Matthias

 

[Duane]

And by the way, you do not need to disable managed extensions to compile
a Win32, ISO C++ or other unmanaged code in VC++.

Not if you don't mind a simple "hello world" program taking
15 seconds to complete...