VS6 vs VS.NET 2003
Which one is better, Visual Studio 6 or Visual Studio .NET 2003? I wanna know which is better for programming games in 2D with DirectX, also which version of DX is best for 2D Game programming, and easiest, Thanks.
IMO, Visual Studio .NET 2003 is better than MSVC 6 hands down. MSVC 6 has a poorer optimizing compiler, accepts a much smaller subset of the C++ language, and contains a implementation of the standard library that is fundamentally broken in several places.
As far as which is "better" for any particular task, the answer is always .Net. It is simply superior in every way vs. 6.0.
Also, it''s nice to have one integrated IDE for all programming languages (i even found a plugin for php), rather than relying on seperate IDEs for different languages (ala VS6.0).
Don''t forget that if you''re a student (or happen to know one...), you can get the complete professional edition (or whatever the level just below the top is called these days), sans support incidents, for about $50 (or less) from your university book store (at least this is the case with U.S. universities).
Also, it''s nice to have one integrated IDE for all programming languages (i even found a plugin for php), rather than relying on seperate IDEs for different languages (ala VS6.0).
Don''t forget that if you''re a student (or happen to know one...), you can get the complete professional edition (or whatever the level just below the top is called these days), sans support incidents, for about $50 (or less) from your university book store (at least this is the case with U.S. universities).
If you''re really cheap, Microsoft released the Visual C++ Tool Kit. It''s the same compiler you get with VS.NET, but free and without the IDE. This with the SDK is pretty much all you need. Not always pretty though.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/
Though, I can only confess to writing some smaller tools and administration programs for Windows. I generally don''t write programs for Windows if I can help it, so I find the VS.NET IDE more restrictive than helpful (not having spent enough time to be proficient with it).
Still, looks impressive.
Int.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/
Though, I can only confess to writing some smaller tools and administration programs for Windows. I generally don''t write programs for Windows if I can help it, so I find the VS.NET IDE more restrictive than helpful (not having spent enough time to be proficient with it).
Still, looks impressive.
Int.
People dislike VS.NET because they are so attached to the VS6 interface. The fact of the matter is that VS.NET is an increadable IDE that demolishes VS6 on nearly every account.
Still, I would like to see VS.NET gain some more advanaced features such as built in refactoring andcode reporting (not that VS6 supports that out of the box either). I feel like sometimes Microsoft doesn''t take their products all the way to being all encompassing in order to support the third party corperations (whether its out of the goodness of their hearts, for the best of the community, or to keep the SEC at bay).
Still, I would like to see VS.NET gain some more advanaced features such as built in refactoring andcode reporting (not that VS6 supports that out of the box either). I feel like sometimes Microsoft doesn''t take their products all the way to being all encompassing in order to support the third party corperations (whether its out of the goodness of their hearts, for the best of the community, or to keep the SEC at bay).
To be fair, VS6 runs on pre-2000 editions of Windows. (this only pertains to the IDE itself. binaries made with VS.NET run just fine on win9x)
I can''t think of any other reason to prefer it, though. (cost maybe)
"Without deviation, progress itself is impossible." -- Frank Zappa
I can''t think of any other reason to prefer it, though. (cost maybe)
"Without deviation, progress itself is impossible." -- Frank Zappa
I like the VS 6.0 IDE better, although I prefer the VC++ 2003 .NET compiler. One of the things that bug me in VS .NET is the over complicated IDE and its inability to export/preserve custom IDE settings. See this thread for example:
http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=223740
http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=223740
.net 2003 is technically better because it''s like a lot newer. I remeber getting vs6 with my copy of nt4 workstation and that was like 1997!
I have both versions and talk about bloatware .net2003 take forever to load up even on a fast p4@3ghz not to mention even on a large 20'' monitor it feels cramped cuz it has so many windows!
But seriously 1 thing that VS6 is still better than .net 2002 or visual studio 2003 is the install time! I''ve never been able to install 2003 under like an hour no matter how fast your computer whereas with VS6 you can install it in under 10min. That''s my biggest gripe with VS 2003 installation time!
If God played dice, He''d win.
—Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos
I have both versions and talk about bloatware .net2003 take forever to load up even on a fast p4@3ghz not to mention even on a large 20'' monitor it feels cramped cuz it has so many windows!
But seriously 1 thing that VS6 is still better than .net 2002 or visual studio 2003 is the install time! I''ve never been able to install 2003 under like an hour no matter how fast your computer whereas with VS6 you can install it in under 10min. That''s my biggest gripe with VS 2003 installation time!
If God played dice, He''d win.
—Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos
VS.NET 2003 starts in few seconds on my athlon 1ghz.
And you can customize the IDE as much as you like so complaning over how much windows there are is pointless, and there is always full-screen mode.
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SloGameDev.net :: Slovenian Game Developers network
Q:What does a derived class in C# tell to it''s parent?
A:All your base are belong to us!
And you can customize the IDE as much as you like so complaning over how much windows there are is pointless, and there is always full-screen mode.
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SloGameDev.net :: Slovenian Game Developers network
Q:What does a derived class in C# tell to it''s parent?
A:All your base are belong to us!
quote:Original post by CWIZO
VS.NET 2003 starts in few seconds on my athlon 1ghz.
And you can customize the IDE as much as you like so complaning over how much windows there are is pointless, and there is always full-screen mode.
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SloGameDev.net :: Slovenian Game Developers network
Q:What does a derived class in C# tell to it's parent?
A:All your base are belong to us!
Ok I admit VS.NET 2003 starts up faster than the 2002 version and I know there are tweaks you can make further to speed it up but it's still not as fast as 6!
Microsoft even has a KB article on this:
INFO: Optimize the Launch of the Visual Studio .NET IDE
[edited by - daveangel on May 8, 2004 10:06:13 AM]
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