Member Avatar for Gait

Which is the best C++ IDE for windows that is free and where can i get it?I have tried downloading Code Blocks and Dev C++ but none of them works.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by hystaspes
Member Avatar for Fbody

Code::Blocks is good, but you need the package that comes with the compiler (mingw).

Stay away from Dev-C++, it's not very good (at least not in my experience, but I had the Bloodshed version, not the wx version).

Member Avatar for hystaspes

Bjarne Stroustrup recommends and uses Microsoft VC++ Express in his book "Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++"

There must be a very good reason that the creator of the language himself didn't choose mingw as the compiler for this book.

You can download MS-VC++ for free from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/#2010-Visual-CPP

or you can download the whole Visual Studio 2010 from here, for free:
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/

Edited by hystaspes because: n/a
Member Avatar for Fbody

This is the 4th time in 5 posts that you've parroted his opinions as gospel. While it is true that Bjarne Stroustrup originally created C++, he is not the be-all-and-end-all. The Standard is. By all means, respect his opinions and consider what he has to say, but take it with a grain of salt, think for yourself, and don't hero-worship him. It is not uncommon for his methods and opinion(s) to vary from, or even conflict with, those of the programming community-at-large.

That being said, MS-VC++ is a very good IDE/compiler, and he is not unreasonable to recommend it. I'll admit, I use it myself and I really like it. There are other compilers that are more compliant with the standard though (newer versions of mingw being among them).

Edited by Fbody because: n/a
Member Avatar for hystaspes

in general, i do agree with you. but his opinion, AT LEAST, is an opinion like yours (not me, I am not a professional, yet) so there is nothing wrong with quoting him in a C++ forum. When I can quote him on a subject, I always do. I do this instead of guessing something that I'm not sure about, simply because I am not experienced enough to comment on everything.

I said "There must be a very good reason..." and I say it again, there must exists a very good reason that he, at least as an author of a good C++ book, chose MS-VC++ for his book. dont you agree?

I'm not saying mingw is bad or good, I use it myself (well, just because my university doesnt allow me to work with other compilers!) and I have no problems with it. For my own work and practice, I used VS 2008 even before I know how to spell or pronounce his name! I didnt even know he had a book for beginners.

So this time, based on my own experience, I recommend visual studio. you can download and use it for free from links in my previous post.

Edited by hystaspes because: n/a
Member Avatar for Fbody

If that's where you stand, then I apologize for my previous comments. You are correct, there is nothing wrong with quoting him. It was the frequency of you quoting him that had me worried...

I suspect he recommends MS-VC++ because it is more user-friendly than the others IMO. But does that make it the best? That point can be debated...

Edited by Fbody because: n/a
Member Avatar for mike_2000_17

Just throwing in my grain of salt.... I'm mainly a Linux user so I may be biased.

I find mingw (as I assume it is the same as the Linux gcc) to be much more helpful in general. It is easier to know that your are compiling and the error and warning messages I find more clear (I often have trouble with the wording used by the microsoft compiler, and I hate having to go through menus to change the compilation options). Not to mention that all the evidence I have seen lately makes me believe gcc produces more efficient code and is also more up-to-date and compliant with the latest developments of the C++ standard (BTW, that quote from Bjarne is outdated by two years, a lot can and has changed since then).

Member Avatar for hystaspes

it's ok, I agree I went too far :D but sometimes I'm scared that I'm gonna say something that is not correct and I might mislead someone (a beginner, like myself).
So sometimes I quote him instead of "guessing".

since this book is for beginners with no programming experience, I can agree with you, may be that's the reason.

Member Avatar for Fbody

That begs the question, when you post a quote, do you understand what the quote is saying? If you don't, you may be better off just leaving it alone.

It's important to "know when to say when". Just this week, I had to bow out of a couple threads because I wasn't sure about the direction the content was going. Sometimes it's better to ask a question instead.

Edited by Fbody because: n/a
Member Avatar for hystaspes

Sure, I will keep that in my mind next time I'm posting :)

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