Deployment is less convenient (fewer Windows webhosts, especially on the low end). If you don't run Windows, Visual Studio becomes less attractive, cutting out

Deployment is less convenient (fewer Windows webhosts, especially on the low end). If you don't run Windows, Visual Studio becomes less attractive, cutting out the free unix and Mac crowd. Also, their marketing is just... not as nice. Compare rubyonrails.org to asp.net. One says 'Web development that doesn't hurt', and has big clickable pictures. The other is ugly and seems to be selling stuff. When you're just starting out, the little things like that matter.