Which Compiler to buy?

[Kimbler]

I can legally get any version of MS C++ through my employer for a greatly reduced price. I can get

.NET
Professional
Enterprise

the price is the same so which should I get?

Thanks

[high_jeeves]

Its amazing what search will find.

http://seq.sourceforge.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2528

--Jeeves

[Kimbler]

I did use search and read the thread you reference but it does not apply to my question.That thread concludes MSVC 6.0 is a great choice but it is not one of my options unless Professional or Enterprise is another way of saying 6.0 which the thread did not clarify.

So the question is still out there for those to comment on. Which is better for an obvious newbie:

.NET
Professional
Enterprise
?

[Dedpoet]

I used MSVC++ 6.0 Enterprise to compile Maggotboy's code and it works great.

[MisterSpock]

Leave it to Microsoft to be the first to whine about people pirating their software, but then make their packages and naming so confusing that people don't know what to buy...

But I digress...

The Visual Studio packages typically come in several flavors:

Visual Studio (version) Professional

and

Visual Studio (version) Enterprise.

Typically, the Enterprise version will contain some additional tools beyond the professional version. In the case of .NET, there are three main suites available:

Visual Studio .NET Professional
Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Developer
Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect

So, the terms Enterprise and Professional do not explicitly refer to any version. I suspect you have the choice of .NET Professional and .NET Enterprise Developer, since you only mentioned two.

The Enterprise suites will contain everything that the professional suite includes. However, you should take a look at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/overview/default.asp to get the precise differences.

Unless you have a specific need for the additional features (and cost) of either Enterprise suite, Professional will probably be just fine.

It seems a bit unlikely to me that Version 6.0 is one of the options. Unless your company has a Select agreement, I'm honestly not sure how available 6.0 is anymore.

[Kimbler]

Thank you for the excellent replies!

Well this is getting complicated :)

First I am getting this just for SEQ sniffers.

To be very specific the choices are listed as:

VC++ Std 6.0 (this was listed under Visual C++.NET Standard)
VC ++ Pro 6.0
VStudio Pro 6.0
VStudio .NET Pro 2002

There alot more choices but they seem Overkill with names like Dev, Archet and such.

EDIT: after looking at MrSpocks link I am leaning toward VStudio Pro 6.0

[MisterSpock]

Personally, I've worked with both Visual Studio 6.0 and .NET.

After getting over a little "newness syndrome" with .NET, I actually like it a little better. Visual C++ .NET seems to have a more thorough C Run Time Library.

If you aren't interested in Visual Basic or Visual C# and just want to stick with C++, I would just go with Visual C++ .NET (this isn't the same as VC++ 6.0, though. 6.0 is the prior version). That's just my opinion, though. I'm sure you'd be fine with VC++ 6.0, too.

[Kimbler]

Thanks for the help MrSpock and Dedpoet! I think part of my problem is the descriptions listed on the Company web site . I will clarify with them and get Visual C++ .NET. Great help guys.

[chaotic]

If you're just looking to compile a SEQ sniffer, and are not planning on doing additional development within the MS framework, why buy something from MS if you can download a free compiler? Many of the sniffers compile without modification under MinGW and lcc-win32, and a google-search will readily lead you to websites for those.

[Kimbler]

Good point. I tried lcc and was unsucessful with WIN 98. I was able to upgrade to XP and observed most work is first done on MS products first then ported to the other free compilers...with addition time lost working out those compilers quirks.

So the price was right for the MS compilers--Free with my companies full support (we have a national agreement with MS for home use of their products). So since the MS product is free and legal I figure it was the way to go.

[seqmage]

So the price was right for the MS compilers--Free with my companies full support (we have a national agreement with MS for home use of their products). So since the MS product is free and legal I figure it was the way to go.

so your empoyer has to charge more or its services and/or products. So your fellow employees dont get a raise because the bottom like of the cost of running the business is higher?
Man you are already cheating while playing everquest. Why not steal your software or better yet.. since you want to be morally correct.. PAY for it with YOUR own money. and quit braging.

I learned how to use the free compiler MingW. Why, because learning how to compile scripts and work with my linux box is easier with a real world project such as showEQ.

Why dont we ask The developers to make you a personal copy of WinShowEQ just so you dont have to learn anything...



with addition time lost working out those compilers quirks.
So you have more time to figure out other ways to steal from your employer?

I am sorry for being an ass... but, this just made my skin crawl.

[Kimbler]

I am sorry for being an ass... .

Don't be sorry my friend. Accept what you are and be happy :)

[LordCrush]

ROFL

[MisterSpock]

I guess I honestly don't understand your response, seqmage.

There are numerous companies (mine included) that participate in various licensing agreements with Microsoft. There are TONS of different agreements, some of which include work at home agreements.

The work at home agreements allow employees to install selected MS products (Visual Studio included) on their home computers as long as they are employed by the company.

Microsoft and the company both benefit from this. First off, it gives Microsoft additional exposure to their software (like they need it), the company signing the agreement benefits too. They get (typically) a volume licensing agreement, which makes installation quicker and easier (no activation, looking for keys, ect) which saves time and expense. They save money because the per-station costs in a Volume Licensing agreement are far lower than a single-unit pricing structure. Finally, the company can indirectly benefit, too. Employees may be more able to take work home with them ("I'll finish the document at home -- I have the same version of Word there that we do here, thanks to the work at home agreement), and it is frequently perceived by employees as a tangible, morale increasing benefit.

So, in short, he isn't stealing from his employer at all, nor is he stealing from Microsoft. It is completely legal and appropriate for him to participate in his company's work-at-home agreement. Nobody is going to be hitting the bread lines because of this. The likelihood is that the VL+Work-at-Home agreement his company has signed has, in fact, *reduced* their costs and may have allowed them to retain employees.

[Kimbler]

Thanks MisterSpock for such an accurate description. That is exactly the situation. I work full time from my home via broadband and my employer has this arrangement. I even inquired with my manager about C++ since it is not required for my current postion and she said it was part of the agreement ANY product on the software web site is usable on a home computer and was paid for as a block agreement. If I use it or not the cost is the same to my employer.

I wasn't going to explain to seqmage for obvious reasons but your reply did such a good job of explaining it I wanted to add :
anyone else....check with your own employer , they may have this agreement and you are not aware of it. I did not know about mine until a co worker told me .

So you nailed it.