Visual Studio 2005 Beta 1 & Visual Studio 2005 Express Beta

M$ just released VS 2005 Beta 1 and a new addition to the VS
productline - VS Express. VS Express contains lightweight
versions of the VS products. Read more here on VS 2005 and
here for VS Express.

Do you know anything about the sql server express version.

What can it/cannot do ?

No experienced coder would waste their time with the express version, they would have to shell out later on for the upgrade when they get fed up of the restrictions.

Even the newbies might not bother, and spend the same money on a full version of ONE of the languages, ie C# or VB.

I can't think of any good reason to have the express version.

I am lucky though, my employer bought me a copy of VS.net Pro 2003 last year and it rules. I was holding out for Enterprise Architect but you can't have it all :D

What about students and teachers, like M$ thinks they will be
part of the target audience? I don't think so because they may
have an academic edition. If they do, then what would be the
point? I think they just want to make more $$$ like usuall.

There probably wont be too much of a price difference, so go with
the regular versions.

Maybe it will be free!

You must be dreaming.

VB Code:

If Self = Dreaming Then
    M$ = Free
Else
    M$ = Your$
End If

:)

Do we know at the moment?
Shall we see - free meaning maybe charge a small carriage cost?
I think MS realise they need to develop the same community that VB sailed on.

Quote:

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I can't think of any good reason to have the express version.

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Education is the only reason I would think.

Quote:

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Education is the only reason I would think.

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Then why have the Academic versions? Unless there is a
significant difference between the two (academic and express)
then its useless.

I would guess that this is the same as VB "Learning Edition" or whatever it was called (that you got free with "beginners guide" style books), basically a cut-down taster of the full thing.

Once you get hooked, you buy the full product ;)


As the Academic version is for proper students only, the Express version will allow for hobbyists etc. to try it out too.

Schools can get a license from MS for a few hundred a year (at least at my community college) that lets students get free copies of apps used in classes, i.e. WinXP, etc. I got Win2K Server a couple years ago. Not sure which VS version they get, but it's not the academic one. You have to sign an agreement swearing you won't use it for commercial purposes.