VS .Net 2003 vs. 2008?

#1
giuliel

Posted 03 August 2008 - 06:28 PM

Learning Programmer

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Ok so, forgive my noobness. Have a few questions about Visual Studio.
I currently have VS 2003 installed on my laptop, and would like to install 2008. Is it possible to have both on the same system? Will my projects from 2003 open up in 2008? and if so, when they convert will I be able to open them back up in 2003?

wondering if anyone knows anything about this. I've got so many varying answers, but I don't want to install 2008 and end up with the product of an "Ooohhhhh shi-" effect, nawmsayin.

Also, I just recently picked up a C# book, however it says that it covers Visual C# 2008 and the 3.5 .NET framework. Could I still write some of the exercises in 2003? The syntax is the same, and from what I see so far they include all the same libraries in their examples.

what's the diff between 2003 and 2008- aside from the fact that 2003 is 5 years old :P If it weren't for school I'd be working with the latest version... Institutions nowadays are always unfortunately lagging behind : /

edit:
and I just realized I completely misplaced this post. heh.

Edited by giuliel, 03 August 2008 - 09:21 PM.
added edit.

#2
Guest_Jordan_*

Posted 04 August 2008 - 05:37 AM

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You can have different versions installed. In fact, I have 2003, 2005 and 2008 installed. When yo open a project in 2008 that was made with 2003 it generally does not work. What is worse, once it is converted you can't open it in 2003. This has been my experience, you may have a different experience. I suggest you make a copy and open that in 2008 though.

The main difference is the .NET versions they are based on. 2008 is based on 3.5 while 2003 is based on 1.0 and 1.1 (I believe). I don't know if there is a way to tell VS 2003 to use .NET 3.5 instead of 1.0, but it may be possible.

I don't know if you will be able to use the C# book for 08 in VS03. It depends on what functions they use. You can download free express editions of C#, VB, C++, etc. for 2008 though, so why not just upgrade?

#3
giuliel

Posted 04 August 2008 - 07:10 AM

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ya, i downloaded the 2008 express edition. Not a huge fan though because of some missing tools. Im sure I'll find a way around it soon enough. I tired to do some of the exercises in 2003 just for the hell of it, but obviously some snippets of code didn't work so... fail.

I really would just upgrade entirely to Visual Studio 2008. However I can't because my classes require me to use 2003. So until I'm done- or until their lazy asses decide to upgrade, I'm stuck on 2003.

boooo...

thanks a bunch Jordan

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

#4
Guest_Jordan_*

Posted 04 August 2008 - 07:18 AM

Guests

Why not install 2003 and 2008 side-by-side instead of upgrading?

#5
giuliel

Posted 04 August 2008 - 07:44 AM

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I actually do intend on installing 2008 sometime soon, when I could get my hands on it. Just for the meantime I don't have it so the express will have to do along side VS 2003. Once I'm done school there will really be no need to be using 03', unless of course that's what my job demands.

why do you have 03, 05, and 08 ? Which do you use most?

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

#6
Guest_Jordan_*

Posted 04 August 2008 - 07:48 AM

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I've made applications in all three and placed them into production at work over the years. Since the programs worked well I never had a reason to convert them to the next version. As next versions came out I would buy those and do any new development in the newest version. I used 2005 mostly. I haven't used 2008 at all really other than just messing around with it. For the past year I've been doing web development and rarely any desktop development.

#7
giuliel

Posted 04 August 2008 - 09:07 AM

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Been doing quite a bit of research at diff companies and for the most part they use at least 2005. This is why I want to get rid of 2003. My projects will be pretty much absolete on 2003, so I would have no problem converting them to 2005 and keeping them there. 2008 would be cool to have just because it's the newest... and eventually more companies will start to use that. So the plan is to have 2005 and 2008 side by side. 2008 will be more for personal use until I know more places are using that version.

I haven't gotten my feet wet yet with web development. Mostly working on desktop dev./window apps. I'm actually working on a multilease management system for a used car company atm. What languages are you using for web dev.?

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

#8
Guest_Jordan_*

Posted 04 August 2008 - 09:21 AM

Guests

I'm using PHP, JavaScript and of course, HTML. I just ordered a book about using GTK with PHP so I'll be venturing into desktop applications using PHP. Should be fun :D.