PRO's & CON's of sticking with an prior version SDK

NETMF & Gadgeteer
1

Let’s say you have a number of devices in the field based on a Panda II using an earlier SDK. In the interest of uniformity you want to keep all the devices, including new ones you might deploy, locked into the same SDK version. If the code is mature and you don’t expect there will be a need for patches or updates, are there any downsides to sticking with a prior SDK version?

Of course any new Panda II’s would be delivered with a newer SDK so you either have to reload with the prior SDK or count on backwards compatibility and avoid code changes that might rely on new features.

Is locking in on an SDK version a reasonable course of action?

2

This is actually recommended. Lock your product to a specific SDK. Even if there is a problem in older SDK, this is at least known to you.

3

On a related note, is there a way to have 2 versions of the SDK live side-by-side on a single developer PC?

For example, an older version of the SDK will be used to support units alread deployed in the field, while the newest SDK can be used for new product development? Or can we only have one version of the SDK installed on the PC?

4

Not supported but you can use a virtual machine.

5

Good timing. I was just wondering what to do about installing the 4.2 SDK. I’m staring at a couple really nice looking sticks of gum 8)

6

I have 2 sdk versions on the same computer,for 2 different projects.
Install the second sdk on other computer,copy the GHI folder on the first pc,and add the assembly
references from the second sdk directory.
Take care to not mix dlls from both sdk in the same project.