Visual Studio 2010, Visual Studio 11, and .NET Micro Framework

Microsoft just announced details about the Visual Studio 11 lineup including its related Express Editions. With Visual Studio 2010 Express Editions there was some complication in the lineup as there were both language-specific versions (Visual C# Express, Visual Basic Express, etc.) and platform-specific versions (Visual Studio Express for Windows Phone, etc.) I spoke with a Visual Studio representative last week about Visual Studio 11, and they're doing some housecleaning which simplifies free development tool selection. These changes should free developers from some language-specific restrictions as well. Basically, Microsoft is breaking Visual Studio Express Editions into two families: language-specific (supporting lots of targets with single languages) and platform-specific (supporting specific new platforms and multiple languages). The Visual Studio 11 Express Editions are platform-specific. These target a small number of focused platforms, and enable multiple-language support for each platform (a big boon). In addition to the existing Windows Phone platform-specific edition, Windows 8 ("Metro") and Azure Express Editions are being created. Since a large number of the new Visual Studio 11 features are designed around Metro, Windows Phone, app submission, etc. this makes a lot of sense. For language-specific development, Visual Basic 2010 Express and Visual C# 2010 Express continue to be the official free development environment. That's important, especially because NETMF and .NET Gadgeteer SDKs will continue to be updated and supported for these official language-specific Express Editions. And for those who always like to use the latest professional Visual Studio tools, .NET MF 4.3 will support both Visual Studio 2010 and Visual Studio 11 (and we'll update the Netduino SDK installer to match). Traditionally NETMF has been tied to one specific version of Visual Studio, so this is a really nice enhancement as well. Chris

No-cost desktop software development is dead on Windows 8

What is the impact of this for the .Net MF and Netduino?

-Fabien.

Hi Fabien,

What is the impact of this for the .Net MF and Netduino?

See the details in the first post of this thread. For the VS11 cycle, Visual Studio Express 2010 will continue to be the supported free tool for .NET Micro Framework development. VS11 will also be supported by NETMF 4.2/4.3.

In the next revision to Visual Studio, I'd love to see a generic Visual C# 12...or a Visual Studio 12 for .NET Micro Framework. If you would like to see this too (or even a VS11 for NETMF), I'd recommend expressing your requests for such to Microsoft.

Funny enough, there are likely as many NETMF developers out there as Windows Phone developers. That right there shows the importance of NETMF in the developer community.

I've spoke with the .NET Micro Framework team several times over the last month about VS11, and they understand how important Visual Studio Express is to the NETMF community. I'm sure they'd appreciate additional feedback...which you can submit through the netmf.com page ("have a dialog with colin").

Chris

I'm glad to report that MSFT came to its senses with VS Express 2012 after the backlash it stirred a few weeks ago: http://blogs.msdn.co...ws-desktop.aspx

This is good news for all of us

Cheers,
-Fabien.

Have to say i am somewhat underwhelmed by VS11, currently evaluating ultimate and i really dont like the whole metrofication of the GUI nor the whole dark colour scheme, seems like a me2 feature for the ALT.net/Patterns Fascists/Tech Blog crowd who all seem to love dark (or more truthfully non standard) colour schemes. That said think metro will be quite good for the day job (touch screen vending/epos and cashless payment systems). The only thing that has really piqued my interest is the ARM build option on MSBuild, although whether that has any real application in the netmf world i dont know, i suspect it will only be of use to the win 8 tablet/win phone 7 developer (intentional sarcastically singular) That said .net 4.5 looks quite interesting although not enough to make me think that i "MUST" upgrade from VS2010 although i do wonder why the .net 4.5 side of things cant just be delivered as a service pack to vs2010 like they did with MVC 3 and Entity Framework Codefirst. Nak.

I'm glad to report that MSFT came to its senses with VS Express 2012 after the backlash it stirred a few weeks ago: http://blogs.msdn.co...ws-desktop.aspx

This is good news for all of us

Cheers,
-Fabien.

Hello Fabien,

I had a look on the blog you mentioned. Even if we'll have a free Windows Desktop VS 2012 in the next months, will it support NETMF 4.2/4.3 or we still have to stick on the language-specific express versions (Visual C# Developer Express 2010)?

Thank you,

Igor.