Programming Tips - Do I have to buy an expensive development environment from Microsoft
Date: 2009apr1
Language: C/C++
Keywords: free
Q. Do I have to buy an expensive development environment from Microsoft
(ie Visual C++) to make Windows programs?
A. No. There are alternatives:
MinGW
http://www.mingw.org/
Actively updated.
Borland C++
http://users.actrix.co.nz/dscott/bcc55.html
Not actively updated.
Neither of these have a GUI.
You can use them with the Eclipse IDE.
http://yongshin.blogspot.com/2005/11/how-to-use-cdt-and-mingw-for-eclipse.html
Cygwin is NOT suitable for making native Windows applications.
IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) include:
Dev C++
http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html
Code::Blocks
http://www.codeblocks.org/
Eclipse
http://www.eclipse.org/
QT Creator
http://www.qtsoftware.com/products/developer-tools
Visual Studio Express
http://www.microsoft.com/Express/vc/