Is Visual C++ express really free?

[GamesSmash]

Hello,

I wanted to know if Microsoft Visual C++ Express 2005 was really free.

Am I allowed to own 100% anything I make and do anything I want with it (sell it)?
Does Microsoft automatically download my source code and copy stuff they find interesting?

I don't want to my hard work to go to waste if I find out, so I am thinking about switching to Dev C++, but I like the Visual Studio environment better.

EDIT:
Yes, it is 100% free.

The Answer to Is Visual C++ Express really free is a definite 'yes'.

Visual Studio Express - FAQ

[darthtator72]

When you publish it it is yours and that wont be able to use your source code or anything else. Microsoft only is giveing you the program the rest is up to you to do with it how you feel is right.

[Arjay]

Am I allowed to own 100% anything I make and do anything I want with it (sell it)?

Anything legal, yes.

Does Microsoft automatically download my source code and copy stuff they find interesting?

Where do rumors like this start? Do you really feel that in the 10s of thousands of versions of Visual Studio they've sold and given away, that they would actually be interested in YOUR source code. Ridiculous.

[GamesSmash]

Anything legal, yes.
Where do rumors like this start? Do you really feel that in the 10s of thousands of versions of Visual Studio they've sold and given away, that they would actually be interested in YOUR source code. Ridiculous.

Okay, thanks for answering those questions.

[Lindley]

Where do rumors like this start?

Microsoft hasn't exactly built itself an image of trust. If they thought it was beneficial to snoop on VS developers' code I have no doubt they would. I don't think they do, though, probably because they haven't figured out a way to profit from it yet.

Do you really feel that in the 10s of thousands of versions of Visual Studio they've sold and given away, that they would actually be interested in YOUR source code. Ridiculous.

You do have a point.

[jithinpg007]

Visual Studio Express edition is completely free of cost and you can download it from here :

http://www.microsoft.com/Express/

and microsoft dont actually need your code in anyway.. The engineers @ microsoft are capable of building really big softwares using complicated algorithms, and OS itself.. so i think they are in no need of copying another one's source.. if they find someone that brilliant, they may try to join that person with them.,

[Igor Vartanov]

Does Microsoft automatically download my source code and copy stuff they find interesting?

Well then with such approach how can you trust Dev C++??? How can you trust anything running next to your precious "hard work"?

Okay, getting serious. People who do really interesting stuff never ask questions of the kind. Guess why.

[GamesSmash]

Because Dev C++ is open source.


Arjay:

Do you really feel that in the 10s of thousands of versions of Visual Studio they've sold and given away, that they would actually be interested in YOUR source code. Ridiculous.

Igor:

How can you trust anything running next to your precious "hard work"?

Okay, getting serious. People who do really interesting stuff never ask questions of the kind. Guess why.

I appreciate your help, but can you guys be a bit kinder.
Just because you are MVPs doesn't mean that I am a bad programmer whose source code is useless.

[Igor Vartanov]

Because Dev C++ is open source.

Does that prove something? Are you suspicios then to any closed source products?

I appreciate your help, but can you guys be a bit kinder.

Sure. Ask technical questions instead of gossiping, and you'll get any possible and kind help.

Just because you are MVPs doesn't mean that I am a bad programmer whose source code is useless.

Side note: I am MVP since 2007. In 2006 I would say you the same. And in 2005 too...

Just forget about that MVP thing, I'll talk to you like a programmer to programmer. Man, that was just a simple test, and you failed it. I never said you are a bad programmer, or your code is useless. The real point was about experience and ability to estimate the complexity of such solution if it ever would be built (when I'm saying about solution I mean the way of having benefits from stoling the sources and estimating their value). I don't know will you be offended with that or not, but I clearly see you're lack of those both.

[Arjay]

Because Dev C++ is open source.
I appreciate your help, but can you guys be a bit kinder.
Just because you are MVPs doesn't mean that I am a bad programmer whose source code is useless.

I never said your source code was useless. My point was that is wouldn't be very practical for any company to try to retrieve source code in such a manner. Imagine the logistical nightmare if a company wanted to gather source code and provide the resources to analyse it? It just wouldn't be worth the effort.

What's the comment about MVP's? What does that have to do with my response? It seems that the MVP program is widely misunderstood. Microsoft has awarded me MVP status for answering questions on this site. I've spent 4 years volunteering here and have been an MVP for a bit over a year. When you look at the water bottle, the free shirt and a couple of other things we get, it's not really worth the time investment. For some reason, folks think that MVPs have the 'inside track' to Microsoft. I wish this were the case - unfortunately it's not.

As far as open source goes - I don't have a problem paying for software if the software has the features I want. After all, I have a business where clients pay me to develop software for them so I want to use software that helps me get the job done as efficiently as possible. To me it's worth it to pay for software that offers a certain level of quality and it's been my experience that open source software is more hit and miss in that regard. I don't want to invest in open source where, if it doesn't work, I need to spend time debugging and patching it. Others may be interested in doing that, but I'm not.

[bitshifter420]

I have VC6 introductory edition and it does not permit the distribution of executables created with it.
Can i upgrade for free or should i just get VC5 express?

[GamesSmash]

Wait. So, .exe's created with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 are non-distributable?!?!

Just when I decided to switch back to it from Arjay's advice

[Arjay]

Hang on, not so fast. VC6 is the 10 year old version released in 1998.

VC5 is even older (released in 1996???).

These have nothing to do with VS2005 (released in 2005) and VS2008.

[Speedo]

Microsoft hasn't exactly built itself an image of trust. If they thought it was beneficial to snoop on VS developers' code I have no doubt they would. I don't think they do, though, probably because they haven't figured out a way to profit from it yet.

Some people are willing to jump on the bandwagon against the big evil company that everyone likes to hate, they'll believe anything.

Seriously people, use your brains. If MS tried something like this, they'd be slapped with so many lawsuits that even they would probably be utterly destroyed. Nevermind the ordinary joes like you and I tinkering with stuff for fun, there are billions (probably trillions) of dollars worth of intellectual property out there being developed with Visual Studio... and when all of those companies blew their collective gaskets -not to mention the likely criminal charges- the only think left to do in Redmond would be to play taps.

[GamesSmash]

Yeah, but if Microsoft put some clause in their EULA like: "We reserve the right to update this policy without notification. The latest version can be found at..."

They could easily and legally make it so they have access to our source code.
But of course they will get looked down upon A LOT if they are found out.

EDIT: I've seen clauses like those before in EULA's.