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/