Click here to Skip to main content
15,900,646 members

Welcome to the Lounge

   

For discussing anything related to a software developer's life but is not for programming questions. Got a programming question?

The Lounge is rated Safe For Work. If you're about to post something inappropriate for a shared office environment, then don't post it. No ads, no abuse, and no programming questions. Trolling, (political, climate, religious or whatever) will result in your account being removed.

 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
Eddy Vluggen1-Feb-14 8:26
professionalEddy Vluggen1-Feb-14 8:26 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
PIEBALDconsult1-Feb-14 8:39
mvePIEBALDconsult1-Feb-14 8:39 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
GuyThiebaut1-Feb-14 9:12
professionalGuyThiebaut1-Feb-14 9:12 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
Mycroft Holmes1-Feb-14 20:42
professionalMycroft Holmes1-Feb-14 20:42 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 21:47
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 21:47 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
Danny Martin2-Feb-14 22:18
Danny Martin2-Feb-14 22:18 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
stadelma3-Feb-14 3:05
stadelma3-Feb-14 3:05 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
Dragonranger3-Feb-14 3:20
Dragonranger3-Feb-14 3:20 
Doesn't look like you got a lot of answers to the real underlying question there...

Which development environment?

Visual Studio is arguably the best (I would argue that it is), especially for the MS stack.

The varieties that you noted are "Web", "Windows", "Desktop", "Phone", "TFS".

"Windows" is only for "Modern Apps" on Windows 8+.
"Phone" is only for Windows phone apps.
"Web" only for web apps (like ASP .Net) or services.
"Windows Desktop" is for WinForms or WPF with C# or VB (you can also create Win32 apps as well but I doubt that's what you want).
"TFS" is actually not Visual Studio it is Team Foundation Server which is a Source Control solution which also integrates bug tracking, collaboration and planning tools amongst others. It isn't an IDE so shouldn't be on your list. However you SHOULD use it (even as a single dev) but I would look at VS Online for that because it provides free online source control for up to 5 users and is excellent.

From the sound of things you should install Express 2013 for Windows Desktop. You could also install "Web" in case you do decide to try making web applications. However you can just as easily use Web Matrix for that if you are only doing simple development and it has a much smaller learning curve.

You also specified Database access. And you could continue to use Access for all of that but to be honest SQL Server CE or MySQL are just as simple to use and far better so I would go with one of them. Not full MSSQL server for these small applications unless you don't mind the hassle of installing and providing support for your users who will have no idea how to use it.

As to which language? That is pure opinion but I think the fundamentals of programming apply to any language and learning what is required for making a swimming pool club frontend is very little. Do yourself a favour and learn C# then later when you choose to expand yourself you will find it much easier.

Winforms will probably be familiar enough to start with but I highly advise you pick up WPF along the way. You will like it I promise.

Also don't listen to people who say "Yay for Web Apps"... everyone does not want them! I would take a fluid, responsive native app over a web app every time. And for your purposes the "Users" are swimming clubs and are unlikely to want to host and maintain any web apps themselves. Until someone asks you to do that of course... but that is the time you should start learning about web Wink | ;)

Hope that helps you out.
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
BrainiacV3-Feb-14 5:31
BrainiacV3-Feb-14 5:31 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
RafagaX3-Feb-14 5:32
professionalRafagaX3-Feb-14 5:32 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
ClockMeister3-Feb-14 6:59
professionalClockMeister3-Feb-14 6:59 
GeneralRe: Choosing a development environment Pin
WLGfx3-Feb-14 12:37
WLGfx3-Feb-14 12:37 
GeneralThis is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:14
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:14 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? PinPopular
OriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:17
mveOriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:17 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:20
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:20 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
OriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:39
mveOriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:39 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:46
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:46 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
OriginalGriff1-Feb-14 2:07
mveOriginalGriff1-Feb-14 2:07 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
harold aptroot1-Feb-14 2:01
harold aptroot1-Feb-14 2:01 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
OriginalGriff1-Feb-14 2:05
mveOriginalGriff1-Feb-14 2:05 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Pete O'Hanlon1-Feb-14 1:30
mvePete O'Hanlon1-Feb-14 1:30 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:33
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:33 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
OriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:40
mveOriginalGriff1-Feb-14 1:40 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:47
Sampath Lokuge1-Feb-14 1:47 
GeneralRe: This is About What ? Any Guess ? Pin
DaveAuld1-Feb-14 2:09
professionalDaveAuld1-Feb-14 2:09 

General General    News News    Suggestion Suggestion    Question Question    Bug Bug    Answer Answer    Joke Joke    Praise Praise    Rant Rant    Admin Admin   

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.


Straw Poll

Were you affected by the geomagnetic storms this past weekend?
Communication disruptions, electrified pipes, random unexplained blue-screens in Windows - the list of effects is terrifying.
  Results   491 votes