VB Express 2008 Vs VS2003 Professional

[JungleJim74]

Hello. I have been using VS2003 Professional for several years but I recently
downloaded the free VB2008 Express Edition so that I could use the
"Truncate"method in converting decimal degrees to DMS (degrees, minutes, and
seconds). The MS Website stated that this is an absolutely free Express
Edition but experience has taught me that if it is "free" you get something
less that the version that costs hundreds of dollars. I am 81 and just
program a little for myself and a few friends (no charge- I give my programs
away free) so I was wondering if this Express Edition is really all that I
need since my requirements are so minimal. Do I really need anything more
that the 2008 Express Edition for the little programming that I do? Thanks in
advance for any comments or suggestions on this.

 

[Family Tree Mike]

Hello. I have been using VS2003 Professional for several years but I recently
downloaded the free VB2008 Express Edition so that I could use the
"Truncate"method in converting decimal degrees to DMS (degrees, minutes, and
seconds). The MS Website stated that this is an absolutely free Express
Edition but experience has taught me that if it is "free" you get something
less that the version that costs hundreds of dollars. I am 81 and just
program a little for myself and a few friends (no charge- I give my programs
away free) so I was wondering if this Express Edition is really all that I
need since my requirements are so minimal. Do I really need anything more
that the 2008 Express Edition for the little programming that I do? Thanks in
advance for any comments or suggestions on this.

There are at least two key differences that you need to evaluate as to how
important they are.

1. In express, you cannot create a setup/deployment project. For simple
programs though, simply copying an executable and any dlls is usually
sufficient. If you use many datafiles though, this could get cumbersome, but
nothing a simple zip file distribution couldn't take care of for you.

2. In express, you cannot have a single solution with many dlls written in
different languages such as C#. Sometimes it is convenient to have
components which are already mature in one language, combined with a new code
in another language.

Mike

 

[eBob.com]

There are at least two key differences that you need to evaluate as to how
important they are.

1. In express, you cannot create a setup/deployment project. For simple
programs though, simply copying an executable and any dlls is usually
sufficient. If you use many datafiles though, this could get cumbersome,
but
nothing a simple zip file distribution couldn't take care of for you.

2. <snip>.

Mike

That's not been my experience. I just checked the free VS Express which I
got with VBE and there is a "Publish" choice on the Build menu and I am sure
I have used it to create a .msi package.

In fact I bought the Standard (i.e. not free) version of VS hoping I'd could
build a better install package with it. All I want to do is to include a
license. But I have not discovered any way to do even that simple little
thing with the Standard version.

The Standard version provides one VS which can do windows forms and web
pages. Otherwise you need VS Express for windows forms and a different free
VS for web pages.

I certainly wouldn't pay for the Standard, or any of the other priced
versions, until you have a definite need.

Bob

 

[Family Tree Mike]

That's not been my experience. I just checked the free VS Express which I
got with VBE and there is a "Publish" choice on the Build menu and I am sure
I have used it to create a .msi package.

In fact I bought the Standard (i.e. not free) version of VS hoping I'd could
build a better install package with it. All I want to do is to include a
license. But I have not discovered any way to do even that simple little
thing with the Standard version.

The Standard version provides one VS which can do windows forms and web
pages. Otherwise you need VS Express for windows forms and a different free
VS for web pages.

I certainly wouldn't pay for the Standard, or any of the other priced
versions, until you have a definite need.

Bob

I think you are describing the click once deployment method, which I don't
use. I see that it is included in express.

Here is a link to getting the full comparison charts:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...B0-B575-47AB-9FD8-4EE067BB3A37&displaylang=en

Mike

 

[Dick Grier]

The Express Edition sounds like exactly what you want.

Dick

--
Richard Grier, MVP
Hard & Software
Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, Fourth
Edition,
ISBN 1-890422-28-2 (391 pages, includes CD-ROM). July 2004, Revised March
2006.
See www.hardandsoftware.net for details and contact information.