Channel 9 Forums - Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/Dev/App_Themes/C9/images/feedimage.png Channel 9 Forums - Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums Channel 9 keeps you up to date with the latest news and behind the scenes info from Microsoft that developers love to keep up with. From LINQ to SilverLight – Watch videos and hear about all the cool technologies coming and the people behind them. http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums en Sun, 19 May 2013 04:31:05 GMT Sun, 19 May 2013 04:31:05 GMT Rev9 16 -16 -1 Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? This is an honest question, and I'd appreciate your feedback (although I suspect Sven might pop up and say it works fine for him Wink ).

When people talk about IDEs, they invariably get to VS and it invariably gets lauded as 'the best IDE out there' - but is this true?

I have had various painful issues with VS over the last couple of versions - some big and some just niggly that keep irritating me, and when I spoke to a friend today, he claims that 'the best IDE out there' is generally in reference to VS6.

Is VS really the best IDE available, or is it riddled with lots and lots of annoying bugs that distract developers from doing what they should be?

I should note VS2005 is reasonably stable for me when
- My project is not bound to Visual SourceShag
- Not using WPF

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/258618#258618 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:55:25 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/258618#258618 Rossj 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Rossj/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? Give me something that offers the same functionality (speaking also of speed - eclipse is nice, but slow) but is better...

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/d28553deb50f436998889deb0023462b#d28553deb50f436998889deb0023462b Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:58:16 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/d28553deb50f436998889deb0023462b#d28553deb50f436998889deb0023462b Christian Liensberger 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/littleguru/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
Rossj wrote:

Is VS really the best IDE available, or is it riddled with lots and lots of annoying bugs that distract developers from doing what they should be?


That would be IntelliJ IDEA ... the IDE from which 95% of the good bits of Eclipse, has been copied.

IDEA is so clever it is sometimes scary; until I got used it, I often used to stare at the screen thinking:

'Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted ... but how did YOU know that is exactly what I wanted.'


]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/fb4924befe1b497fb7e89deb0023467d#fb4924befe1b497fb7e89deb0023467d Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:22:19 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/fb4924befe1b497fb7e89deb0023467d#fb4924befe1b497fb7e89deb0023467d Ray6 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Ray6/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? Call me stupid, but I had the hardest time (and still cannot figure out) how to import a .def file in Visual C++ Express 2005 to link against a DLL. I searched the web, searched the documentation, and found nothing. I realize there's probably some way to insert a command line flag for the linker, but isn't that what the point of Visual Studio is? On the contrary, when I built it with MinGW I was able to locate the relevant documentation and get it compiled in about 10 minutes.

I've been out of the IDE scene for a while, text editors with syntax highlighting and makefiles do it for me, but why is something so trivial as linking against a DLL so obfuscated?

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/100be16df980424698429deb00234653#100be16df980424698429deb00234653 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:22:34 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/100be16df980424698429deb00234653#100be16df980424698429deb00234653 TimP 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/TimP/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? Sorry, I just got incredibly distracted by the random notion that the next version of Visual Studio might have the Office Ribbon as its toolbar interface...

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/641f7d3a69174c9c8a809deb002346a4#641f7d3a69174c9c8a809deb002346a4 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:19:28 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/641f7d3a69174c9c8a809deb002346a4#641f7d3a69174c9c8a809deb002346a4 JChung2006 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/JChung2006/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
creditcard wrote:
When they first came out with the new Visual Studio IDE (VS.NET ?) I really hated it, it was a fat pig of a program. But the newer versions are faster, but I still think VS needs speed improvements and bloat removal.


QFT

Visual Studio feels like an ultimate-do-everything IDE but it feels great when I'm working with pre-existing code.

I also like NetBeans for Java (which is another do-everything IDE) but it's so very slow to load up (thank goodness for improvements here in NB 6).

When I want a get-out-of-my-way coding environment, I use Notepad. When I need to grapple with search and replace (especially on large scales), I use a text editor that my brother threw together out of standard Visual Basic 6 controls.

On second thought, I should try using OneNote for coding because it also saves for me.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/c1822433401d4b8f9b379deb002346ce#c1822433401d4b8f9b379deb002346ce Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:51:38 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/c1822433401d4b8f9b379deb002346ce#c1822433401d4b8f9b379deb002346ce Zian Choy 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/zian/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? I really like UltraEdit.....

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/a9dc6b440df54409ae8c9deb002346f5#a9dc6b440df54409ae8c9deb002346f5 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:14:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/a9dc6b440df54409ae8c9deb002346f5#a9dc6b440df54409ae8c9deb002346f5 JosephSpaur - MSFT 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/JosephSpaur - MSFT/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? i just came back from my mates house were he was doing some work in vs2005 pro and i noticed he had a Test menu on top top bar ( Were File ; Edit ; View is) and for some reason i dont have it on mine.

I assume its a plugin he has?

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/19f2c351d33b4abda6489deb0023471c#19f2c351d33b4abda6489deb0023471c Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:24:03 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/19f2c351d33b4abda6489deb0023471c#19f2c351d33b4abda6489deb0023471c JoeE 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/die-Sel/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
zian wrote:

creditcard wrote:
When they first came out with the new Visual Studio IDE (VS.NET ?) I really hated it, it was a fat pig of a program. But the newer versions are faster, but I still think VS needs speed improvements and bloat removal.


QFT

Visual Studio feels like an ultimate-do-everything IDE but it feels great when I'm working with pre-existing code.

I also like NetBeans for Java (which is another do-everything IDE) but it's so very slow to load up (thank goodness for improvements here in NB 6).

When I want a get-out-of-my-way coding environment, I use Notepad. When I need to grapple with search and replace (especially on large scales), I use a text editor that my brother threw together out of standard Visual Basic 6 controls.

On second thought, I should try using OneNote for coding because it also saves for me.


My main complaints with VS:

  • Debugging performance seems to decrease with every new version. In VC6 and VB6 Step-through performance was nice and snappy. In VS2003 there wasn't much difference between Remote Debugging and Local Debugging, but in VS2005 it's getting more laggy. Conditional breakpoints could also do with some performance enhancements
  • Constantly de-emphasising C++; it's a powerful language and the VCC should be Microsoft's pride and joy (even CSC is written in C++)
  • Otherwise, pretty dámned good

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/845d44fa978e4f3daf0a9deb00234749#845d44fa978e4f3daf0a9deb00234749 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:24:26 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/845d44fa978e4f3daf0a9deb00234749#845d44fa978e4f3daf0a9deb00234749 W3bbo 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? VS2005 is actually one of the few apps that I like using in Windowsworld. Maybe it is the fact that I use it all day, and it's a requirement for work but I honestly do like using it.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/1d1f82cc525d4bcd82c49deb00234771#1d1f82cc525d4bcd82c49deb00234771 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:37:07 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/1d1f82cc525d4bcd82c49deb00234771#1d1f82cc525d4bcd82c49deb00234771 Custa1200 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Custa1200/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
die-Sel wrote:
i just came back from my mates house were he was doing some work in vs2005 pro and i noticed he had a Test menu on top top bar ( Were File ; Edit ; View is) and for some reason i dont have it on mine.

I assume its a plugin he has?


Are you sure he didn't have VS2005 Team Suite?  It includes unit testing tools out of the box (that aren't included in VS2005 Pro).

He also could have been running something like TestDriven.NET.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/0cc8b4847dba48cbb54b9deb0023479a#0cc8b4847dba48cbb54b9deb0023479a Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:37:22 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/0cc8b4847dba48cbb54b9deb0023479a#0cc8b4847dba48cbb54b9deb0023479a JonathonW 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/CannotResolveSymbol/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? Its the best especially with addons like code rush, if you say otherwise then you haven't used it Tongue Out

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/3397a8a1f4d4492ca33e9deb002347c1#3397a8a1f4d4492ca33e9deb002347c1 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:40:28 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/3397a8a1f4d4492ca33e9deb002347c1#3397a8a1f4d4492ca33e9deb002347c1 typemismatch 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/typemismatch/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
JosephSpaur - MSFT wrote:
I really like UltraEdit.....


Wow, there's a blast from the past, used to use that for Z80 ASM and PIC code....

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/2b3121ea2fc64e15a8d59deb002347e9#2b3121ea2fc64e15a8d59deb002347e9 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:05:05 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/2b3121ea2fc64e15a8d59deb002347e9#2b3121ea2fc64e15a8d59deb002347e9 PerfectPhase 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/PerfectPhase/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE?
Rossj wrote:
This is an honest question, and I'd appreciate your feedback (although I suspect Sven might pop up and say it works fine for him ).

VS2005 does have occasional fits where it seems to crash every five minutes on some projects. And I hate it when it goes into "seemingly doing nothing but using 100% CPU" mode.

Still, I know nothing better. And VS2008 looks to improve on some of the issues.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/a526bd69489d472c99ad9deb00234812#a526bd69489d472c99ad9deb00234812 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:20:43 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/a526bd69489d472c99ad9deb00234812#a526bd69489d472c99ad9deb00234812 Sven Groot 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? vs2008 is crashing for me a lot more. but its understood, its in beta

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/e24e6d1053e24a8a8e9f9deb00234839#e24e6d1053e24a8a8e9f9deb00234839 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:33:12 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/e24e6d1053e24a8a8e9f9deb00234839#e24e6d1053e24a8a8e9f9deb00234839 brian.shapiro 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Does VS deserve its title of Best IDE? http://weblogs.asp.net/avnerk/archive/2007/09/03/visual-studio-help-launcher-rant.aspx

How to disable the F1 keyboard shortcut for on-line help in Visual Studio.

That's one thing about Visual Studio that has sucked for a very, very long time (over a decade).  It's to the point where it could be considered a great feature if they improved the on-line help experience.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/8426abfb48e74115ab169deb00234861#8426abfb48e74115ab169deb00234861 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:06:05 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/258618-Does-VS-deserve-its-title-of-Best-IDE/8426abfb48e74115ab169deb00234861#8426abfb48e74115ab169deb00234861 JChung2006 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/JChung2006/Discussions/RSS