AutoHotkey Community

For those who might not know Microsoft is offering a lot of free editions of stuff including Visual Basic, Visual C++, etc. I just found this out.

Find it here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/

we have AHK thank you

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Sry, not meaning to offend the loyal AHKeteers here!

I love AHK 2, rlly, but maybe not so monogamously...

I don't take ParanoidX's answer as being offending or negative.

The information isn't new and is maybe already on the forum, but isn't a bad idea to repeat it, with this clear subject, easy to find.

BTW, you probably need at least the Visual C++ Express to be able to compile AHK, for those wanting to hack it...

Perhaps someday I will try it.

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vPhiLho := RegExReplace("Philippe Lhoste", "^(\w{3})\w*\s+\b(\w{3})\w*$", "$1$2")

I don't think so. There are some posts that says that the adaptation is very difficult. May be you can do it ?

Microsoft's Visual Express 2005 range has been freeware since Beta 2

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GitHub • Scripts • IronAHK • Contact by email not private message.

Well I didint' know so maybe others don't know, or maybe... i'm the only 1 ..

they said it's been free since nov 2005

Beta 2 was free to download. When it came out of beta they said it would be free for a year to registering members, afterwards before the year had ended they made it completely freeware due to popularity or something.

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GitHub • Scripts • IronAHK • Contact by email not private message.

I think it became freeware bcoz its a direct answer to Borland. Plus programming is getting more and more unpopular.

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546F206C69766520
6973204368726973742C0D746F2064696520
6973206761696E2E0D285068696C20313A323129

It is free (probably) because:
- There are other free compilers around (GCC) and more or less free Basics too: I downloaded REALbasic just in case, because at the time they offered it for free to gain frustrated Visual Basic 5/6 developpers seeing Microsoft pushing hard toward VB.NET...
- There are lot of other languages, like Euphoria.
- As with offers targeted to students, it initiates people to a Microsoft product, hoping they will ask to the "real" version (with full IDE and other facilities) later.
- It is a technology probably well paid off, so it doesn't cost much to make it free.
- Hey, in the best cases, it makes more programs to be made for Windows! I like Macs too, but I was quite disappointed to find so little freewares for it, at least for MacOS 9. That's better for MacOS X, its Unix core attracted lot of open source hackers finding a more familiar playground.

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vPhiLho := RegExReplace("Philippe Lhoste", "^(\w{3})\w*\s+\b(\w{3})\w*$", "$1$2")

The Express versions could also be free to attract more peole to buy the more enhanced versions...

I've tried VC++ express. Same conclusions should apply to VB express. First it's huge (674MB for VS express + 364MB for the platform to compile Win32 applications + 300MB to 1200MB for the .NET framework). After, the GUI editor do not work for anything else than applications build for the .NET framework. Finally, there are several things missing from the original Visual-Studio but these are minors. Microsoft is to be encouraged to allow a free light-edition (and possibly time-limited version) of its products but, in my view, this one is definitively a pushing for the .NET framework.

If you are looking for a free and possible open-source IDE for C/C++ Windows coding, I encourage you look also at Code::Blocks , Eclipse with CDT or Dev-CPP.

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Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Johny

I finally downloaded VC++ Express, but didn't had time to have more than a quick look.
I am less interested by the IDE than by the compiler itself (didn't tried this version either).
I know Eclipse, for Java development. It is really heavy too (written in Java), you better have a fast computer with lot of Ram... But powerful, indeed.
I tried Dev-CPP, but wasn't overly convinced, it felt... dunno, old.
Then I tried Code::Blocks and was pleased. Modern look, good syntax highlighting component (Scintilla! I am biased, but at least, it is familiar...), etc.
Of course, you can use these IDEs along with VC++ Express, ie. they let you choose the compiler. GCC isn't bad but really generated big exes/dlls (more than twice the size of those generated by VC++6).

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vPhiLho := RegExReplace("Philippe Lhoste", "^(\w{3})\w*\s+\b(\w{3})\w*$", "$1$2")

I agree with you about the IDE's. Even if they had some stability problems with their GUI builder (wxSmith), it's one of the best open-source IDE package in term of resources-requirement, flexibility, support and ease-of-use that I've seen. Borland used to provide an interesting and free "C++ BuilderX Personal Edition" IDE also but it's not available anymore and I couldn't find anywhere to download it today.

There is a pretty complete C/C++ compiler analysis available at Dr.Dobbs web site. They look at 7 different well-known compilers, including GNU C/C++ and 3 versions of MS C++, on several situations. Not biased and well done.

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Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Johny

I forgot to say: the compiler analysis was made on September 2003. A bit old, but still give an idea about the compiler's strength & weakness.

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Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Johny