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[Mega]

Is it legal to use Visual Studio Express to make and sell your program.

I hear some folks talking about "Standard" edition (vs express) but I'm thinking its because they want 'perks'.

In the first paragraph of this Wikipedia link it states:

"The idea of Express editions is to provide streamlined, easy-to-use and easy-to-learn IDEs for users other than professional software developers, such as hobbyists and students."

So would a person who wanted to sell their software automatically fall into the  "professional developer" category? or would programming in your spare time qualify you as a "hobbyist".

The license should be under $1000 so its not the end of the world. but I want to know what exactly is necessary and if for example you can purchase the license after production. Or if you even need to. and from where?

[Klaim]

Someone selling products or service is a professional.


Also, before paying a license for those products, please read this : http://altdevblogaday.com/2011/12/03/you-should-be-using-microsoft-bizspark/

Basically, if you're starting a business, you can get every dev tool from microsoft for free.

[moi]

All the xblig people are using express I think

[bluescrn]

All the xblig people are using express I think

This. If it's legal to develop XBLIG or WP7 games commercially with Express, I'd assume it'd be fine for commercial PC games, if you can live with the limitations of Express?

I bought VS2010 Pro earlier in the year - but it was primarily so that I could use add-ons (Visual Assist is near-essential to me for C++ work)

Express has some other less significant limitations - one that I ran into was being unable to combine C# and C++ projects in one solution, as Express edition seperates out the C++ and C# IDEs, which seemed a little odd. (It was a C# tool that I was developing, and I wanted to include a C++ project that was just set up to build some shaders...)

[Mega]

I code mainly with C and void pointers. so VSC++ is heaven on earth. I dont want to 'risk' upgrading to 2010. I've tried it on another computer and it slowed it to a crawl.

Check this out. That guy was an MVP but not really microsoft staff. But being an mvp he would know..


Bizpark looks like gold. I wonder how long it would take for a Canadian corporation..? Best thing is I see his post was recent.

[Nix]

The answer is yes, it's completely legal to use it commercially.

[Player 3]

The answer is yes, it's completely legal to use it commercially.

Has to be. Many Steam games install yet another Visual Studio redistributable.

[Nix]

And I mean yes, you can use explicitly the Express version for anything commercial.

[Mega]

And I mean yes, you can use explicitly the Express version for anything commercial.

@Nix, your avatar



Is that an early model Dodge Ram? ... R&D

[mcc]

Have you tried, like, reading the Visual Studio Express license?

[Mega]

Have you tried, like, reading the Visual Studio Express license?

That was the first thing I tried, I couldn't find it in the install directories, the web only contained sections or quotes and the wording was unclear (to me) what meant exactly what. So I had to pose the question directly, in non vague or conditional terms.

[PompiPompi]

For some kind of a reason I think I read in VS express that it is not allowed for ceommercial use. Inside VS itself, either in the "news" screen or in the about.
However, I believe many people do sell applications made with express, and I believe no one will pursue you if you did sold your game made in VS express.
On the worst case, you can start off with VS express and if your game makes more than $1000 in sales you can be the pro version.
My guess is that no one will sue you for making a $1000 out of a game.

[Mega]

For some kind of a reason I think I read in VS express that it is not allowed for ceommercial use. Inside VS itself, either in the "news" screen or in the about.
However, I believe many people do sell applications made with express, and I believe no one will pursue you if you did sold your game made in VS express.
On the worst case, you can start off with VS express and if your game makes more than $1000 in sales you can be the pro version.
My guess is that no one will sue you for making a $1000 out of a game.

What you probably read was that it cant be used in a commercial setting with multiple users (your staff) using the same registration.  This is the vagueness I wanted to clear up.

[moi]

if you compile to machine code and don't use any VS library, then why even care?

[Nix]

I've already answered the question. You can stop thinking about it now.