[shezzy]

Hello,

I am trying to learn C# in my spare time and was wondering if Visual Studio 2008 express is close to "up to speed" to do so. I know there is VS 2010 and 2013 already, however, I only have visual studio 2008 express to work with ( because it is a portable version I can use on my off-time at work where I have no admin/install permissions ). Are there any HUGE features that a beginner will miss by learning from Visual Studio 2008 and not 2010 or 2013?

Obviously, If I plan on programming anything real in C# it will be in the more modern versions of VS (2010 or 2013)

[modi123_1]

It's not too terribly old, but it may have issues trying to access/use the latest version of .NET. I believe VS2008 was last updated to use NET 3.5SP1.. so anything post that (all the newest libraries, features, templates, etc) in 4.0, 4.5, etc wont' be there.

[shezzy]

modi123_1, on 06 February 2014 - 10:34 AM, said:

It's not too terribly old, but it may have issues trying to access/use the latest version of .NET. I believe VS2008 was last updated to use NET 3.5SP1.. so anything post that (all the newest libraries, features, templates, etc) in 4.0, 4.5, etc wont' be there.

I figured as much. Was more curious as for using it to get familiar with C# and .net in general. Planning on just using vs2008 to learn forms, properties , classes, syntax,namespaces etc. Just wasn't sure if any of the "foundation" of c# was completely overhauled between 2008-newest versions that I'd be learning something that was completely changed.

Honestly, even if I had VS2010/2013 - I doubt a beginner would be scratching the surface of "newer" features.

[modi123_1]

*shrug* Yeah.. beginner syntax hasn't radically changed, but once that all clicks get up to a newer version.

[Curtis Rutland]

The things I'd miss would be stuff like Tasks, async/await, stuff like that. But most of the really good stuff I use all the time was part of .NET 3.5 and the C# compiler from VS2k8, like LINQ, extension methods, stuff like that.

Simply put, it's OK for learning, but you'll want to upgrade when you can.

[shezzy]

Little update I figured I'd share to someone who might be interested. No longer using VS 2008 express portable, instead using an open source project SharpDevelop which can be made portable ( ran from a USB drive without installing on any PC ) and also supports .NET 4.5 . Again, this is for me just to learn the language and it seems plenty useful for that.

[modi123_1]

Interesting.. I forgot all about that..

http://portableapps.com/node/30302

[Skydiver]

I don't really see myself as a hardcore programmer, but I remember learning the following using only a plain text editor and the command line compiler/interpreter/assembler/web browser: 6502 assembly, BASIC, C, 68000 assembler, C++, C#, Javascript, PHP, Python, Ruby. I think the only languages I learned using an IDE were Pascal and Forth, but in both cases I quickly abandoned the IDE and went to just using a text editor and the command line compiler/interpreter because the IDE was using up too much memory.

I'm not trying to say that real programmers don't need IDE's. I appreciate a good IDE when it is helping me write and understand my code better. I'm just trying to say that you don't really need an IDE to learn how to program in C#. You could get by with the C# compiler (csc.exe) that comes with the .NET framework, and notepad.exe.

[Curtis Rutland]

Could, but why would you want to? I don't see the IDE taking up memory as a problem with the IDE, to me that's a problem I can throw more RAM at. I'd rather have all my tools gathered together in one convenient place (that I know all the shortcuts to) instead of spread out and I have to do it all myself. I do understand the school of thought that says IDEs are a crutch and you should know how to work without them, but I just find them entirely too convenient to not use.


That's what I get from replying first thing in the morning. I didn't catch this part:

Quote

I'm not trying to say that real programmers don't need IDE's. I appreciate a good IDE when it is helping me write and understand my code better.

Agreed.

Quote

I'm just trying to say that you don't really need an IDE to learn how to program in C#.

\

True, but I'd argue that for C#/.NET development, you will almost always have an IDE available to you (professionally), so learning C# is about 70% language and 30% learning your tools. VS doesn't just make my code better, it makes it possible for me to be productive. I feel like divorcing the language from the IDE in teaching is a mistake. I learned more from seeing IntelliSense popups and looking them up on the MSDN than I did from formal instruction.