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Windows Mobile Development No Longer Free

Posted by timothy on from the listen-to-your-inner-rms dept.

Jacco de Leeuw writes "Windows Mobile developers have enjoyed free development tools like the eMbedded Visual Tools and that in turn has helped popularize Windows Mobile devices and a number of free or cheap applications. But now the SDK for the upcoming Windows Mobile 5.0 has a number of 'technical (not political) dependencies' on Visual Studio 2005, which starts at $299. Is it time for an open source Windows Mobile toolchain?"

3 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. The end of the line for Windows Mobile and me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, that's it then. Since my hobbist software development budget is approximately zero - I'm going to have to give up on Windows Mobile development. A $300 machine that I can develop for is fine, a $300 machine that requires $300 worth of tools to develop for is not.

    Charging for the OS, then charging for development tools is just getting ridiculous. Either developers producing for their platform is beneficial to them - or it isn't. The free command-line tools for Windows 32-bit were an awesome move (although I personally prefer MingW32 for cross-platform similarities). If Microsoft can update their free command-line tools to build for the Windows Mobile platform, I'll probably stay. Or if I can figure out how to build Windows Mobile apps with GCC (although I'm not looking forward to that mess).

    Otherwise, I'll be looking for a new platform for my next handheld. And this was after me moving on from Palm. iSteve iJobs and Apple, please come out with a handheld pocket computer. Pretty please! I'll even take back everything I said about the splintered mess of APIs on OSX. Hello?

  2. Looks like a false alarm by abelikoff · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I find the argument flawed for a number of reasons. If we look at the trend, there are actually many more free development tools available from Microsoft compared to the past. In fact, looking specifically at CE development tools: in order to develop for Windows CE some 3-4 years ago one had:
    • To acquire a Visual C++ development system, and
    • To purchase an add-on for Windows CE development.
    Nowadays, one just has to spend 15 minutes downloading eVC++ 4 for free. Same goes for Windows-oriented development. Same for dozens of other SDKs. There are ways to develop for each and every Microsoft platform using free tools from Microsoft.

    What is going to happen actually, in my opinion, will be similar to the situation with development tools for .NET framework:

    • There will be a freely available SDK with a set of tools allowing free development for Windows Mobile 5.0 platform just like there is a free .NET SDK with a set of compilers and tools allowing developers to create .NET applications.
    • VS.NET 2005 will be positioned for Windows Mobile 5.0 development in the exactly same manner VS is positioned for Windows and .NET development. That is, it will not be the only tool available for such development but the sheer convenience, integration and automation will appeal to a broad segment of ISVs compelling them to purchase it instead of going with free tools.

    Now on a personal note. I think, I am willing to pay $299 if this would give me a single tool that would provide coverage for all Pocket PC and Windows Mobile target platforms without the sheer madness of having to install eVC++ 3, eVC++ 4, VS 6, and VS.NET 2003 (let alone a half dozen of platform SDKs). This alone is well worth $299. ;-)

  3. Re:You do realize... by Quill_28 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I got it free, shipped in 1 week time. I do not have a MSDN subscription.

    It is not the Express version.

    Came with some SQL server software also.