Which C++ compiler do you use for windows and why ?

[madhu.mys]

Which C++ compiler do you use for Windows and why ?

 

[DHOLLINGSWORTH2]

I use MSVC,
becuase MS doesn't tell everyone everything about win.
if you're using a different vendor find out what they suggest.

Keep in mind that MS has Worked with Intel to provide hw & sw
simultaneously. That means Intel may be the only other company with an
inside to MS Windows.

They are both good compilers. You can get a MSS 2003 .net version on ebay
pretty cheap. $100-$200.

or purchase an Acedemic version, Which does not allow commercial
development, for about $89.

The MSVS 2005, acedemic version sells for <= $500.
I'm not sure what it is right now.

 

[Thomas Matthews]

Which C++ compiler do you use for Windows and why ?

I use Borland C++ Builder and GNU G++ with wxWidgets.

I've been a long supporter of Borland since the
Turbo Pascal Days. They also don't take up as much
harddisk space as Microsoft. Although I do have some
issues with their library (especially the AnsiString
class).

Recently (since last year), I've moved to using GNU
G++ on Cygwin with wxWidgets. Borland's database
drivers were driving me insane and I couldn't get
around some problems, so I switched.

Microsoft is a nice compiler, as long as you do
things their way, such as using the MFC. They believe
or the want to be the standard in the language, which
confuses a lot of newbies.

For embedded systems, I recommend the Metaware
compiler. They have really good support people,
and their debugging code supports a lot of ICEs.

 

[Taras]

Which C++ compiler do you use for Windows and why ?

I wouldn't say, that Microsoft compiler is the best for
windows because they know it better then anyone. It is
well known by its bugs and so on. Developing of applications
is not really simple and fast if you compare to other
tools.

I never used Intel's compiler, but does it make such a
good and optimized code for AMD processors? And for for
other non-intel systems (RISC...), where windows can be
installed?

Compiler should be choosen after you know what you want
from it.
Question was what compiler does one use and why, so my
answer is "g++" (mingw). It has a set of unix tools, that
are more comfortable for me to use. It produces fast enough
and small code. One must not use and even know about any
windows API and so on, to create GUI-program: it's possible
to use any from multitude of free libraries. (For a little
presenting of computational results I create simple program
with "main()", with the use of "fltk" and does not have
to know anything about "WinMain()". Later I can simply
compile it under linux without any changes, but that was not
the question. If I need something with more complex interface
I can use gtkmm, wxWindow or anything else.)
But, as for me, if you do not use VC++, using of their tools
will be harder. I mean, you'd be simplier to use SDL then DirectX,
OpenGL then Direct3D (if it depends on me, I wouldn't use
Direct3D anyway, lefthanded cartesian coordinate system sounds
somehow strange for any engineer, or not?).

At the ending, I should add, that your question should be wider:
what compiler does one use and also what set of tools (libraries)?