

In a year’s time, Microsoft may elect to begin charging for the software, but anyone who has downloaded it during the free download period will have it for keeps–this is not expire-ware.Īlso available is SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, the successor to the aging MSDE database. NET 2.0.Īlthough Microsoft had previously announced each of these Express Editions at a price point of US$49, it has instead launched them as free downloads for one year.

NET Framework - they can only be used to develop for. Visual Web Developer Express Edition, in particular, is a must-download for anyone currently working with ASP.NET Web Matrix, though developers should note that these Express Editions are not backwards compatible with version 1.x of the. NET for Windows desktop or Web development, there’s more than enough meat in these products. The Express Editions include a simplified user interface and limited features (e.g., you can only interface with databases on your local computer), but for developers building simple sites or just getting started with. In short, all the essential features for building ASP.NET 2.0 Websites are here.

A full run-down of the feature differences between these Express Editions and the full Visual Studio 2005 can be found in the product feature comparison matrix. Visual Web Developer 2005 Express EditionĮach of these is a simplified and streamlined version of Visual Studio 2005 focused on development in a single language (except Visual Web Developer, which includes Visual Basic and C#).Microsoft has launched the Express Editions of Visual Studio 2005:
