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Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms.programmer
Subject: Re: NOVICE: MS-SDK or Borland C++ ?
Message-ID: <1991Apr18.030336.30850@ccad.uiowa.edu>
From: cadsi@ccad.uiowa.edu (CADSI)
Date: 18 Apr 91 03:03:36 GMT
References: <1991Apr17.175343.16818@athena.mit.edu>
Organization: CAD-Research, U. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Lines: 38

From article <1991Apr17.175343.16818@athena.mit.edu>, by maurik@irene.mit.edu (HOLTROP, MAURIK):
> A question from a novice to Windows programming:
> 
> What does the SDK from Microsoft do that Borland C++ doesn't ? Or
> is there no reason to spend money on the SDK if you buy BC++ ?

The SDK has the debug kernels which many don't know about but are
essential to producing 'proper' Windows apps.  In addition, a crummy
profiler for Windows comes w/SDK, but Borland has no usefull profiler.
for Windows either.  At least the SDK provides something.
W/Borland, you can debug (Turbo Debugger) on a single terminal.
With MS, you can do some debugging (I know, I've done lots of this) with
a serial terminal, in addition, with an extra monochrome monitor,
you can use CodeView.

> I have the MS C600, which is a good compiler (although not C++, but
> I don't see the need for that yet), so to get started with windows
> programming, what would you recommend, MS-SDK or BC++ ?

If you want to stick with C (not C++) the SDK is the answer.  That should
be quite clear as MSC 6.0 is what you already have.  MS will come out
with C++ someday, so I would just say hang in there with 'em.

Fact is, I hate both the Borland and the MS products at this point in
terms if Windows development.  Neither are very Windows friendly.
You know, edit/compile/link in DOS, run Windows, check out your program
(TurboDebug helps here), Leave Windows, fix bug, .....  -OOOOOHHHH  Ick.

IMHO Borland is better if starting from scratch.  You've invested
is MS, so it seems reasonable to continue.

Sorry, Mr. Bandwidth, I'll stop rambling now.

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|Tom Hite					|  The views expressed by me |
|Manager, Product development			|  are mine, not necessarily |
|CADSI (Computer Aided Design Software Inc.	|  the views of CADSI.       |
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