Re: Visual Studio 2005 Express in now permanently free...


"Nathaniel Walker" <nate@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:44472213@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am not comparing the languages themselves of course, since I would
rather do something horrible to myself than work with VB etc :), but
commenting more on the overall marketing.

Not to compare languages, but even the Express editions offer more options
for what they offer than BDS: J#, Managed C++, VWD, SQL Server Express,
Full support for VB, Support Forums (as well as newsgroups, but alot of
new users may not even know how to get on a newsgroup). Yes, the benefits
far outweigh the limitations; even comparatively.

"Benefits" are a relative thing. If I don't need or use something then it's
not a benefit, it's just marketing. Of the many VS2005 users I know no one
uses J#, Managed C++, VWD, etc. Obviously people do use those features, but
they are specialized and don't really offer anything extra to your basic
shareware desktop app developer. I wouldn't consider VB a benefit either
*grin*. Those benefits you listed are about as exciting to me as ECO,
Together, IntraWeb, StarTeam, Caliber RM intergration. I don't use those
either.

SQL Server Express doesn't belong in your list as a VS benefit, it's no more
a selling point for VS than it is for BDS. It's not like it magically works
better with VS than it does with BDS.

Microsoft has been able to deliver far better releases (less bugs on
release) than Borland because of their Express users. They are also more
*responsible* at fixing bugs by releasing individual fixes, when possible,
instead of making them wait for full-fledges service packs. They have
always been good about this in all their products. There is nothing like
waiting for a critical bug to be fixxed while they fix other issues that
hardly affect developers (in general) as much.

As a long time user of both Delphi and VS I disagree. There where many high
profile bugs in VS2003 that they never fixed. Even when I could see the bug
inside of Reflector it was frustrating because I couldn't fix it, where even
though sometimes we don't get offical updates as often as we might like we
do get unoffical source patches from Delphi engineers or people that seem to
know the VCL better than anyone at Borland. I'd give them both a B-
actually in getting fixes out.

BDS is starting to look like most Linux distros. Buy now, patch later
else unusable.

*chuckle* it's funny, I read similar sentiments about VS2005 the week it
came out. Even from a lot of Microsoft bloggers saying they were sorry for
releasing such a shoddy product. I know people that *hate* VS2005, calling
it crappy buggy betaware, yet others hold it up as some kind of programming
miracle. It just goes to show that your mileage definitely varies.

Personally I enjoy both IDE's. I have used both forever and have found that
they both have some glaring holes and strokes of genius. Their features
sets are comparable and I have a wishlist a mile long for both sides. I do
agree that there needs to be a starter version in the $300-400 range for
Delphi though. That seems to be the sweet hobby spot. If people can plunk
down $350 for a digital point and shoot for their vacation photos they
should have no problem paying the same for Delphi.

Shawn

Shawn


.

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