3 ms·
MS's compilers have always been free(As far back as I can remember which would be VC6 where only the non optimizing compiler was free.) They charged for the ID
by stonemetal 17y ago
MS's compilers have always been free(As far back as I can remember which would be VC6 where only the non optimizing compiler was free.) They charged for the IDE, and the optimizer. With the switch to .Net the optimizing compiler became free, and then a release or two latter a basic version of the IDE was released for free as well.
- gdp 17y agoThanks for that. So there is a commercial version of the IDE that basically has more features?
- stonemetal 17y agoThe free edition is just the base IDE(code editor, debugger, gui designer). Come on this is MS, there are 5 versions of the pay IDE. Things you need to pay for: using more than one language(you can download multiple free versions but that means having multiple installs of VS laying around), 3rd party plugins, profiler, code test coverage tool, static analysis tool, Database tools, Integration with their team foundation server(source control, bug tracker, project management stuff )