Thread: VC++ Toolkit 2003 download link was removed?

I can't believe this... I have been downgrading to Visual C++ 2003 Standard because I find 2005 to be quite unstable for C++ work. I installed VC++ 2003 and I went to Microsoft's website to download the VC++ Toolkit 2003 for compiler optimization, etc, a tool they gave out for free not even a year or so ago? On their download page, I read this...

"The Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 has been replaced by Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition. Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition provides a complete integrated development and debugging environment making it the easiest way to create powerful applications using the C/C++ language. Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition also contains an enhanced version of the C/C++ optimizing compiler for the fastest executables. Best of all, the Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition is completely free!"

Source:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

I didn't ask for that! Is there a mirror download website or something? This is really killing work right now. Also, Visual Studio 2003 just released a service pack a few weeks ago (yeah, no convert over to VS2005 here). Any chance that this includes what was given on the toolkit?

Thanks,
Phil

But 2005 is what I'm trying to get away from!

I guess one solution is to buy VS2003 Professional because the toolkit isn't needed to get the optimization. But then again, all I need is that free toolkit.

Okay, I must confess... I am a total noobie when it comes to distributing applications especially with VS05, so I was looking to get VS03 up and running with the toolkit. I remember the old days where I could just make an exe and show anyone the game without any further files necessary. Those days are gone. I had the impression that VS2005 requires .NET 2.0 to be included in the installation, but it was defaulted as true for that, but I could turn it off as well. Getting it to work on my brother's computer just took 5mb total to distribute. Now that I got some experience with distribution, I guess I can manage with VS 2005 but I sure hope they come out with a service pack soon.