VS Web Express vs Professional

[JJ]

In terms of developing an asp.net (vb.net) 2.0 web site with a database
backend (using my own mySQL not sql server),
What the benefits of buying Visual Studio Professional over the free web
express edition?

JJ

 

[Bruno Alexandre]

only for Web?

None!


VStudio 2005 is a tool NOT ONLY for Web Forms but also for Window Forms,
Component design, ActiveX components, etc...

if you only want to develop a website, Visual Studio Web Developer Express
is the ideal tool!... and it's free.

 

[JJ]

So you can do all these things:
Use Master Pages, Develop User Controls, and have the full features of
Visual Basic for coding the background pages?

 

[Bruno Alexandre]

in a really simple answer: yep...

 

[Guest]

There ARE some differences, are they differences you can live with? I can not
live with those differences because my environment requires source control,
remote database design, etc.

For product comparisons see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/products/compare/default.aspx

 

[Bruno Alexandre]

so You need to warn the person that things are only for speciall cases,

why give an opinion if you don't know the end? Why saying that the person
should aquire a linced version of visual studio (and that«s not cheap) if
the only propose is web developing for just one person or for whatever...

:-/

right?

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

why give an opinion if you don't know the end?

I'd guess Demetri did it because the idea that they are the same product is incorrect.
I was about to post the same corrections, but Demetri beat me to it.

Btw, you're also right in that, for web developers who work stand-alone,
there's no need for source control but there might be a need for remote database design.

*everybody* can use that.
(Even stand-alone developers, who might need to work with a remotely hosted SQL Server.)

There's other, subtler differences, like full option menus being available in Pro, but not in VWD,
just like the Class Designer and Object Test Benches aren't available in VWD, either.

VWD's XML editor has no support for XSLT, either.

Plus, Pro can run macros, and write and consume Add-ins and Install Packages,
and can also use Crystal Reports, which isn't available in VWD, which only has
SQL Server Reporting Services available.

Also, VWD doesn't support remote debugging, whil Pro does,
and there's no 64-bit compilker support in VWD.

There's a complete list of differences in the link Demetri sent:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/products/compare/default.aspx

Let's try to keep our posts limited to technical issues, OK ?

 

[Bruno Alexandre]

well, for the CR part I never like it cause is completely different from
window forms...

you can do a really cool and smooth reports that works great in your develop
machine, but once you publish the website in a host company, that will do no
good cause we need to have CR Server installed... and they never have
that...

so... for reporting under web, I always do in HMTL/CSS fashion way, until CR
send's the dll for free



love VB for that

 

[JJ]

The truth is that I do want do 'prefessional' web development here, so I am
interested in all the limitations.
I am also a current user of Visual Studio 2003, which I use for both windows
forms programming and asp.net development.

However, the need to use master pages and .net 2.0 has pushed me to look at
Visual Studio 2005. I have my own web server and can develop with my web
server and database locally.

So as long as its not limiting me in any way with those sets of
requirements, then I can use the free version.
Having downloaded and started to use it though, it looks really different.
I'm already a little confused by the differnt format of the Global.asax
file - can't write in straight VB format (i.e. includes are different)

Is this differnce just express, or just one of the 'improvements;??

 

[Jon Paal]

Visual Studio Standard Edition is also free if you want to use it

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

Visual Studio Standard Edition is also free if you want to use it

Hmmm... no.

It costs $199 for the upgrade version, and $299 for the full version.

 

[JJ]

I think he must have meant Visual Studio 'Express' Editions..?

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

Probably, but that's not what he wrote... ;-)

This page has a neat pricing comparison table for the different versions :

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/howtobuy/

 

[Jon Paal]

view some training videos, they are offering a conversion incentive.
they sent me a free copy...

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

they sent me a free copy...

You must be very special, indeed.

I don't know of *anybody* who has received a full free copy.
Only evaluation versions.

 

[Damien]

re:

You must be very special, indeed.

I don't know of *anybody* who has received a full free copy.
Only evaluation versions.

Um, everyone who attended the "Ready to Launch" tour events (at least,
in the UK, and AFAIK US, but I'd presume everywhere they ran the tours)
received a free copy of VS 2005 Pro, BizTalk 2006 and SQL Server 2005
Standard (with ONE whole CAL)

Damien

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

Then, all of you are very special.
We certainly didn't get those in the "Ready to Launch" event in our area.

Considering the retail cost of VS 2005 Pro, BizTalk 2006 and
SQL Server 2005 Standard, you got a huge gift, if those are actually what you received.

I'd think what you got were Developer Editions, though,
at least for BizTalk and SQL Server 2005, and not regular licenses.

See : http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/howtobuy/default.mspx

BizTalk 2006 Standard Edition is $8499 and the Enterprise runs $29,999.

SQL Server 2005 Standard costs $5,339.11 at Amazon :
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BHO468?v=glance
....and costs over $5,800 at Office Depot.

I doubt if you got those for free just for going to the "Ready to Launch" event.... ;-)

 

[Damien]

Then, all of you are very special.
We certainly didn't get those in the "Ready to Launch" event in our area.

Considering the retail cost of VS 2005 Pro, BizTalk 2006 and
SQL Server 2005 Standard, you got a huge gift, if those are actually what you received.

I'd think what you got were Developer Editions, though,
at least for BizTalk and SQL Server 2005, and not regular licenses.

See : http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/howtobuy/default.mspx

BizTalk 2006 Standard Edition is $8499 and the Enterprise runs $29,999.

SQL Server 2005 Standard costs $5,339.11 at Amazon :
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BHO468?v=glance
...and costs over $5,800 at Office Depot.

I doubt if you got those for free just for going to the "Ready to Launch" event.... ;-)

It is the standard editions, like I said, but they very generously
include ONE CAL for the SQL Server 2005, so it's not like you can use
it in a deployable situation. I'd presumed that they ran the give away
everywhere, but sadly, apparently, this isn't so. Sorry for rubbing in
my good fortune :-| (I have heard tell of people who signed up for
Ready to Launch purely because they'd heard of the free software
giveaway)

Damien

 

[Laurent Bugnion]

Hi,

Then, all of you are very special.
We certainly didn't get those in the "Ready to Launch" event in our area.

You live in nowhere.com and you're surprised they didn't find you? ;-)

Laurent

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

A $17,000 gift for going to an event ? Wow !

I'd have flown to Europe, or anywhere else in the world, just to get it.
That comes out to a 2 week, first class, paid vacation + $14,000 savings. ;-)

re:

Sorry for rubbing in my good fortune :-|

I'll be really miffed if you don't tell me ahead of time about the next one.