The original referenced MSDN article states…
This says to me that it is limited to just Metro apps (which is what caused me to start this thread). I think it’s time to install the beta and start playing…
There were no indication about Express in his reply. We are mixing editions here.
I made this assumption based on the fact that Colin said clearly that VS11 support will be coming in the Pro (paid) version once 4.3 is released.
I have read it today on several websites.
Here in english
[quote]Visual Studio 11 will include the following product editions:
Express editions. As with previous Visual Studio versions, Microsoft will provide a number of free Visual Studio 11 Express editions that are aimed at specific languages (C#, Visual Basic, C++) or Microsoft platforms (Windows 8, Windows Phone). (Those who wish to use just specific languages outside of the platforms can use the legacy Visual Studio 2010 Express editions products, which will still be made available freely.)
Announced Express editions include:
Visual C# Express 11
Visual Basic Express 11
Visual C++ Express 11 (Visual C#, VB, and C++ Express 2010 still available)
Visual Studio 11 Express for Windows 8 (supports C#, Visual Basic, C++ and JavaScript)*
Visual Studio Express for Windows Phone
Visual Studio 11 Express for Web
(Plus some as yet unnamed Visual Studio 11 Express product for Windows Azure v.Next)
(* To create desktop applications for Windows 8, you need to use Visual Studio 11 Professional, or higher, Microsoft says.)[/quote]
Maybe somebody can confim this?
@ cypher - if you look at that article again and read the MSDN article in post #1 you will see that (VS11) language independent versions no longer exist. There are only platform versions now.
Found this article:
It looks like they are dropping the C++ compiler from the platform SDK too.
Interesting article, big implecations long term for the hobbyist and open source world. Looks like MS has taken a leaf out of the Steve Jobs school of business and gone over the top.
The worry here is that when MS drop the 2010 express versions (which they will eventually) what happens then? Guys like us who will be wanting to play with the latest Fez and Gadgeteer toys have to pay $500 bucks to get the tools.
Whats the future for .NetMF development in say a year or two time?? How will this effect OSHW?
NETMF is fine and will be fine, please see posts from Microsoft on this very thread.
The exact same thing is happening with XNA. Also if you want to create desktop applications you need VS professional.
If I can add my 2 cents to all of this. I came to all of this with an electronics background yes as I know a bit of VB but I don’t think that made me a programmer by any means but I was drawn to Micro .NET because to be honest in my opinion the tools for Arduino where not as easy to pick up as VS. I have been able to do things with GHI boards and modules that I never could do with Arduino I could come up with my own ides not just copy some one else. I am worried this will confuse folks new to all this and maybe discourage hardware vendors from investing in developing new .NET hardware. I truly think that tools like the .NET Gadgeteer inspire people to try to learn programming and electronics. I hope Microsoft will continue to support this going forward and continue to make it easy for beginners to access the tools needed to enter this exciting world.
I understand what the MS guys are saying but it looks to the outside world that express 2010 is all thats going to be supported to 2020. If thats the stance then there really is a problem. Yes the IDE totally spanks the Arduino IDE etc etc, but the real message is the tools are going stagnant. At the company where i work we call this “Legacy Support Mode” which basically means No future development and only super mission critical bug fixes.
How can .NetMF truly evolve further when the prime dev tool has been put in stasis? 8 Years is going to be a long wait to see what replaces VS2010 express.
Besides think how cool a Metro UI would look on a t35 display powered by a possible 2014 Fez Titan 1Ghz gadgeteer board?? mmmmmmm yummy 
I think those of you that are upset about lack of support in VS11 Express have something called “Bleeding Edge Fever”. It was not that long ago that there was no Express version of VS, and we all had to cough up for licensing, even students. Express is essentially a lost leader, meaning from a business perspective, it is there to get new folks hooked who will hopefully recommend buying licenses at their first programming job. Maybe this didn’t pan out for MS. Somebody probably figured there was no (even delayed) ROI in offering “full” support for the ever growing list of platforms. Unfortunately, these kind of decisions are directly tied to making a profit and keeping investors happy. All bets are on ARM, because they are pulling the rug out from under INTEL and AMD. This might seem short sighted, but then we can’t possibly know all the details.
I highly doubt MS will wean us off VS10 with no future replacement option. Worrying about “what if” scenarios is useless. Letting MS know what we think IS a good idea.
I bough Truespace 5.5, 6, and 6.5 a few years ago, over a few years as they came out. Microsoft bought out Caligari a year or two ago and released Truepace 7.4 for free. A few months later there was budget cuts and MS terminated Truespace. The Caligari website finally died in February this year. Now I hope I still have the patches and SPs for my software as EVERYTHING is gone of the web. You can still get the free version from a few 3rd parties, nothing else.
My fear is the NETMF will go the same route, maybe not now, but maybe in 10 years when VS2010 expires?
Then in 10 years, we have to all make NETMF so cool and we build a huge community of millions that Microsoft will see the value from continuing NETMF Otherwise, we will all be using another open source IDE on our android PC to program our 1Ghz NETMF devices, not in Microsoft favor 
It won’t take 10 years. I suspect this will start a spark that will begin the NETMF port to Eclipse within two years if there’s no indication the next VS Express release will support NETMF.
i would not be concerned about MS dropping support of MF. It is all ready open source, so if MS decides to drop their support, someone like GHI will rise th lead the development.
Desktop apps in next VS Express is back…
Thank you Microsoft 
+1! I love it when a company listens to it’s customers
EDIT: Colin, can you confirm that this will mean that 4.3 will be possible using this version now instead of VS11 Pro as you stated before?
This is really good news! Nice one Microsoft.