Happy happy joy joy, free VS 2005 Express

"This is great because now everyone can try Visual Studio and see what’s up"

Even Ren and Stimpy?

(sorry)

Fired the program.

It said something about registering. Skipped it.

Tried to use the keyboard combination right ctrl+right shift to switch the windows' direction to right-to-left, like any windows editiding screen. Didn't work.

Tried to close the current window using ctrl+w, like any other windows application. Didn't work.

Closed the program, thinking of situations when it might be useful.

Fired SQL server Enterprize Manager for doing some stuff. It is screwed. Can't see the list of databases on the remote server.

Switched my machine to Administrator mode and uninstalled VS 2005 express and re-installed SQL server enterprise Manager.

Bye Bye VS 2005 Express!!!

Downloaded the install program.

Downloading...

Installing...

Need to RESTART during install!

Are they nuts or something?

Let's hope I don't have to restart again after the install is finished.

Don't like it already.

Thanks Gerry.

VS Express editions are FREE to DOWNLOAD for the first year. However, they do not time out. Basically until Nov 6, 2006, you can download them via the website and register them for free.

After that date, you will possibly have to pay to get them, but if you downloaded and registered before then they are free and stay free.

There is a FAQ on the site.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/suppo...

"imagine what Borland or other tools vendors would say if we gave away everything"

Borland? Wow. They acctually make something that developers in 2005 actually use?

On a more serious note.... what exactly is it that would entice ANY ddeveloper to "try out" VS '05 for only a year over comparable OSS offerings?

Comparable _is_ a relative term, I know. But still.... those somewhat comparable alternatives don't come up with crap like "free for a year" and can't even say what happens on day 366....

Shameful.

MS Again: >Something that could have really spurred development on your platform.

Um, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Enjoy the Google IDE that you will get for free. Just don't try to remove the advertising.

Ben: assume it'll be $59. That's why we put a price tag on it.

It's very possible that they'll pay for the second and third year, but there's no way I know that for sure, so for now it's best to assume it'll cost $59 and go from there.

Microsoft really doesn't know what it's going to do after the first year free is up? I find that strange and a deterrent to using the express editions (which really are great tools if the beta2 releases were any indication).

I don't want uncertainty before taking the dive. If it's going to cost me - I want to know BEFORE I become dependant.

On a related note, when will SQL Server Management Studio Express for SQL Server 2005 Express be completed? I'm not comfortable using a CTP in a production environment.

I think this is a great step for MS, but I agree with larry's point. The tech world is changing so rapidly, away from product distribution as a profit model. Look at Google, look at the music download issue. The general public has limited patience for the concept of intellectual property, and the companies that will thrive tomorrow will most likely be those that become ubiquitous through the open ditribution of their content, while selling access to the millions of users that enjoy the free products.

bill G that is

This is awsome! Thanks Bill!

Robert, you seem to attract folks who you will never please. I don't mean to offend you individuals but let's look at this logically. Microsoft has a crap load of working people like you and I who have invested in their company and would like to see a return sometime in the next eon.
As I was saying earlier, this is a classic example of a disruption. Everyone is drinking the kool-aid of all of these new and great open source tools and frameworks, and Microsoft really needed to do something to bring back a defecting and ever shrinking pool of programmers to the wonderful world of Microsoft programming.

Good old MS, you couldn't just give something away for free could you? Something that could have really spurred development on your platform.

No, you had to put "... for a year" on the end. Your endless greed just couldn't stop you! How sad...

well if your going to create a app there are other great C++ IDEs out there..borland builder 6 came with my C++ book but I use DevC++ mostly

Is it bug-freeeeeee ?

Sufficiently bug-free to actually use on a regular basis ? Or should we wait for SP1 (Q1 2006 ?) and/or VS2006 ?



---* Bill
http://www.billbuchan.com

Larry:

>How come microsoft charges for their dev tools at all?

Cause we're greedy business bahstahards.

Seriously, it's very expensive to build development tools. All you have to do is look at building 40/41/42.

But, there are other reasons. We can't be anti-competitive, for instance (imagine what Borland or other tools vendors would say if we gave away everything).

Scoble,

How come microsoft charges for their dev tools at all? Why don't they just have simple two tier system that still charges the big enterprise users to develop big sites, but doesn't punish the startups that trying to get off the ground?

There's a reason so many web startups go with PHP/Ruby/Python instead of C# and ASP.NET, and that's because the barrier to entry is zero. You can have a LAMP solution up and running on a cheap linux box and you really have to pay for is the hardware.

Not trying to troll, just generally curious why Microsoft doesn't come out and say "Hey! All you strapped for cash college kids with great ideas and startup potential should come use our tools!". Are they afraid of the potential competition and the fact that some kids in a garage could use Microsoft's own tools to take market share away from Microsoft?

hahaha.. with the student license I paid 50 dollars for a 300 dollar VS2005 standard edition, one Express Edition costs 50 dollars..HAHAHAHAHAHAHA :)

The software is always yours to use. It doesn't stop working after a year. But, we'll have to look at the business model in a year to see what we want to do. We believe there's a lot of value in the Express Editions and want everyone to realize that these are being subsidized. Enjoy the free gift while it's there!

What will actually happen after one year? Will it expire or will MS just stop offering for free?

Thanks Georg