Quick Question About Visual Studio

[onedrummer2401]

So, I managed to jump on the $8 Developer Registration deal last weekend, but was out of town and didn't get to do much with it until today. So, I tried to download the WP& SDK since the WP8 SDK requires Windows 8, and realized that it was telling me I needed visual studio. I looked online, and the only options I saw were to buy the software or use the 30 day trial. I assumed after I paid for the developer registration fee I could start to actually make apps; I didn't realize I'd need to shell out another couple hundred dollars as well. I feel like I wasted the $8, and while it's not a lot of money by any means, I would've rather known that I'd still have to pay even more for visual studio.

Is this really what Microsoft is doing? Do Apple and Google charge both for the Dev Kit and other software? Do I have to have Visual Studio to make apps? If I have no other option , could i torrent visual studio somewhere? I don't like torrenting, but there's no way I could afford Visual Studio right now, especially when I only got the developer registration to learn how to develop apps. This was going to be more of a hobby, but I can't afford to spend that much money on a hobby.


Any help/insight/things I should know?

Thank you guys.

 

[jmshub]

Visual Studio Express for Windows Phone 8 is a free download.

Windows Phone Dev Center

The first link..the SDK for 8.0. It is free to download, and free to register. Good luck.

 

[onedrummer2401]

Visual Studio Express for Windows Phone 8 is a free download.

Windows Phone Dev Center

The first link..the SDK for 8.0. It is free to download, and free to register. Good luck.

The SDK is, but it only runs on Windows 8. I tried downloading the WP7 SDK but it said I needed Visual Studio, which costs money or is only a 30 day trial.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

Visual Studio is a one time 400 dollar license. It is THE Microsoft development platform and by far the best SDK.

Visual Studio 2012 express is required for WP8 development and Visual Studio 2010 Express will give you what you need for WP7 development.

Are you telling me you weren't aware of the cost? I also take it to mean you aren't a software developer of any kind or you would at least know about visual studio. With no prior programming knowledge you won't just pick up C# and be coding away in VS in a few days. It'll take a bit if time.

 

[mparker]

The SDK is, but it only runs on Windows 8. I tried downloading the WP7 SDK but it said I needed Visual Studio, which costs money or is only a 30 day trial.

So upgrade to Windows 8. It's pretty cheap and easy too.

 

[martinmc78]

The initial trial is 30 days but i think they still extend it to 90 days if your registered. Im holding off for the time being laying out money for it and will just use express. As its already been mentioned you need a bit of programming knowledge so im currently wading through two rather large books on visual basic programming and html5 both are almost 1000 pages so its going to be a while before I lay out the ?500 for visual studio

 

[wenogg]

The initial trial is 30 days but i think they still extend it to 90 days if your registered. Im holding off for the time being laying out money for it and will just use express. As its already been mentioned you need a bit of programming knowledge so im currently wading through two rather large books on visual basic programming and html5 both are almost 1000 pages so its going to be a while before I lay out the ?500 for visual studio

So download Visual Studio 2010 Express and use the WP7 SDK. You can't target WP8 but you won't need to install Windows 8 to run it.

 

[onedrummer2401]

So upgrade to Windows 8. It's pretty cheap and easy too.

Not my personal computer to update.

 

[onedrummer2401]

So download Visual Studio 2010 Express and use the WP7 SDK. You can't target WP8 but you won't need to install Windows 8 to run it.

Yes but express lasts only 30 days. With my previous experience in app making(none) I'd need a lot more time. I wanted to get into this to start getting familiar with something other than Java for my classes I'll be taking next year and make some basic apps before actually working on one that I might publish. With my schedule hectic enough already, 30 days is practically nothing.

While I'm on the subject of the developer's software, can I sideload apps now? I'd be interested in seeing what the homebrew community has, but considering how up until now I really had no easy way to I'd never looked up how to dev unlock my 900.

 

[onedrummer2401]

The initial trial is 30 days but i think they still extend it to 90 days if your registered. Im holding off for the time being laying out money for it and will just use express. As its already been mentioned you need a bit of programming knowledge so im currently wading through two rather large books on visual basic programming and html5 both are almost 1000 pages so its going to be a while before I lay out the ?500 for visual studio

Well the only registration I've managed to find is product registration. But still, I'm in roughly the same boat. I knew I could find basic tutorials to start out with online, and could get books once I started getting the hang of the basics, but I didn't realize I'd need $400 to take this up as a hobby.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

Yes but express lasts only 30 days. With my previous experience in app making(none) I'd need a lot more time. I wanted to get into this to start getting familiar with something other than Java for my classes I'll be taking next year and make some basic apps before actually working on one that I might publish. With my schedule hectic enough already, 30 days is practically nothing.

While I'm on the subject of the developer's software, can I sideload apps now? I'd be interested in seeing what the homebrew community has, but considering how up until now I really had no easy way to I'd never looked up how to dev unlock my 900.

To my recollection express is an indefinite license. I've had Microsoft SQL Server Express 2005 and 2008 installed as well has VS Express C# 2010 and they've never expired.

What you cannot do with the express license is make software and sell it it use it commercially. WP apps are different because you pay for an independent license, so those you can sell.

Also, to those of you aspiring to make apps with no prior object oriented programming experience, I suggest you start with desktop applications. Learning to run the emulators and how to deploy can be a pain. I spent over 6 years in post secondary school learning C# and other languages and it's not a small task. Purchase a beginners C# book and start there.

 

[theomodsim]

Yes but express lasts only 30 days. With my previous experience in app making(none) I'd need a lot more time. I wanted to get into this to start getting familiar with something other than Java for my classes I'll be taking next year and make some basic apps before actually working on one that I might publish. With my schedule hectic enough already, 30 days is practically nothing.

While I'm on the subject of the developer's software, can I sideload apps now? I'd be interested in seeing what the homebrew community has, but considering how up until now I really had no easy way to I'd never looked up how to dev unlock my 900.

You have to register your copy of Visual Studio Express within 30 days after installation, but registering is free.

 

[futurix]

WP7 SDK includes free Visual Studio 2010 Express, WP8 SDK includes free Visual Studio 2012 Express. Both can be used indefinitely, and can be used to develop commercial apps.

 

[Nataku4ca]

[EDIT] I was wrong [/EDIT]

 

[mckhendry]

Windows 8 is required for Windows Phone 8 development. This is because Windows Phone 8 is based on a shared core with Windows 8. You can read it for yourself here (scroll down for system requirements).

Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Phone | Microsoft Visual Studio

 

[Nataku4ca]

Windows 8 is required for Windows Phone 8 development. This is because Windows Phone 8 is based on a shared core with Windows 8. You can read it for yourself here (scroll down for system requirements).

Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Phone | Microsoft Visual Studio

I knew I should have checked before saying anything �� thanks for the clarification