Thread: C# in Win 9x

I've been reading of C and C++ a little bit, but I've also found C# very appealing. So you could say I've not made my mind of which to start practicing. I wanted to ask, those who know their way in C#, can I write Win 9x programs with C# or is it strictly meant for the .NET architecture?

C# relies 100% on the .NET architecture, which means it cannot be run on '95. Executables for 98/ME should work, while the visual development tools are only available for NT/2K/XP.

If you need to be compatible with 95, C/C++ or VB would be the right tool. If you need 9x, I would consider not using .NET.
If you have the choice, I would recommend using the NT line, preferable 2K and .NET.

Originally posted by nvoigt
If you have the choice, I would recommend using the NT line, preferable 2K and .NET.

NT line? What do you exactly mean by that?

I found a book on C#, published by MS Press if I recall and on the first few pages it states that Visual Studio .NET is not required, and with minor changes in the Win Registery would allow me to use Visual Studio 6 to write C# programs. Any idea of this. The book was Inside C#, ßy Tom Archer.

>>NT line? What do you exactly mean by that?

Windows NT......you would need at least Windows 2000 or Windows XP (I dont know if Windows NT4 is supported). Windows 95,98,ME are based on a different architecture.

>>I found a book on C#, published by MS Press if I recall and on the first few pages it states that Visual Studio .NET is not required

Yup...but its nicer if you have it. There is a command line compiler with the NET SDK (links to download are on this board)

>>and with minor changes in the Win Registery would allow me to use Visual Studio 6 to write C# programs.

Wow really?...you could use it to write the C# code (though I dont know how correct the syntax checking would be).....I dont know how it would react to using a NET compiler though....

> Windows NT......you would need at least Windows 2000 or Windows XP (I dont know if Windows NT4 is supported). Windows 95,98,ME are based on a different architecture.
Thanks for clearing that up, I guess I'm just nervous that I might choose the wrong language. Thank you both for your input.

> Wow really?...you could use it to write the C# code
Yeah, sure. The author actually recomended it and said that he intentionally avoided using Visual Studio .NET products, for to make it more compadible. But I guess I'll stick with C/C++, for I'm very much not moving to XP yet.

You can probably use any IDE to write C# code. Even notepad or "copy con", but the RAD features are only included in VS.NET.