Thread: what do you use

I marked other.

My main compiler is Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0, Standard Edition, which was only $109 compared to the $2,000 or whatever the Enterprise Edition costed at the time. A second compiler I have is Borland (Inprise) C++Builder 5.0, Standard. On my Linux computer, I use GCC 2.95.2 (g++), which was what came with my distribution.

Klinerr1, I'm not sure about the new Microsoft Visual C++ .NET (7.0), but the differences between the various editions of Visual C++ 6.0 were kind of like this:

Introductory Edition: Like Standard Edition, but you cannot legally redistribute your executables. A dialogue box pops up, even in console (text-only) applications.

Standard Edition: You can legally redistribute your executables! Here's the big one: The compiler does not do optimizations--not for file size, not for run-time speed. Microsoft's documentation says that the MFC library cannot be statically linked into your executable, but it seems the static libraries are included. InstallShield Express (an installer-creation utiltity) is not included. The full MSDN Library help and documentation system is included.

Professional Edition: The compiler does optimize. InstallShield Express is included. If you're not a C++ newbie, you'd probably want this edition.

Enterprise Edition: An SQL Server, Developer Edition, with debugger is included. A few other tools that would probably only be of use if you develop in-house, distributed applications for businesses is included. In my opinion, you'd be wasting a lot of money paying for features you'd probably never use.

I'm not sure about version 7.0 (.NET), but I would think the differences between the editions would be similar. (It was only Visual C++ 5.0, Learning/Standard Edition, that would not let you redistribute the executables. Microsoft changed back to let you in version 6.0.)

I'm an MSVC++ 6 Enterprise user.... I got a 60% student discount though, and next season when I buy MSCV++.NET I'll get another big discount, which is the only reason I can afford it!