Thanks for that Evan.

Under the MS Operating Systems section it states: "SDKs, and DDKs
The complete set, past versions and all of the latest releases, including Windows 2000 and Windows Millennium Edition.".

So am I to take it that any one or more of these that I wish to install is fully installable from the provided CDs/DVDs? And if so am I to understand that any such install will be completely untouched by other versions/levels/etc of same-named components in any of the other (versions of) that or any other operating system?

Can I make the exact same assumptions for the Visual Studio part(s).

None of this is at all clear to me, yet what is clear is that I often read people stating that they got the latest xxxx beta off the MSDN CDs.

Just trying to find out if MSDN is *REALLY* a viable alternative to VS.

Thanks,

JimN

>Here is what is included in the MSDN packages. Visual Studio is include in the Universal option.
>http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/prodinfo/overview.asp
>
>>Hi Nick,
>>
>>Aside from being costly (at least to the 'regular' folk of this world like me) it was always my impression that MSDN is full of the latest betas (when current) and not necessarily ALL production-level products.
>>
>>*IF* that is incorrect I sure hope that someone will straighten me out real soon!
>>
>>If I am correct, then the idea that people will migrate from a VS Suite to MSDN doesn't fly, at least for shop managers who want products to build production apps with.
>>
>>JimN
>>
>>>>>>Is the limited access to the .NET Framework enough to keep VFP in VS.NET?
>>>>>
>>>>>I think not, especially if it stays the case that you can get the Framework seperately from Visual Studio.
>>>>>
>>>>>>What are the benifits of the access to .NET Framework? Can I do Web forms or services?
>>>>>
>>>>>For a .NET language, this is like asking what is the benefit to my body of having access to oxygen? The .NET Framework provides the application architecture, access to the system, data handling, Windows forms, Web forms, Web services, security, deployment, etc. In other words, the Framework is a large set of base classes that provide a huge percent of what is in an app. Visual Studio is the tool for building apps that are based on the Framework.
>>>>>
>>>>>To do code behind Web forms, you have to use a .NET language. To do Web services, you can use anything you want. You can use VFP6 and the SOAP Toolkit today and you will be able to use VFP7.
>>>>>
>>>>>Robert
>>>>
>>>>Again, thanks for the feedback! I had forgotten that someone said VFP might be placed in MSDN and sold that way. I think you may have changed my mind as seeing VS.NET as a tool and MSDN as the "suite" of developer tools. Definitely, a redefinition of the products. And if VFP7 is pretty much ready then I will take my MSDN now and you can keep it out of VS.NET. 8-)
>>>
>>>If MSDN is a "suite" now, then it should be promoted as such. At least IT managers I know, even if they have heard of "MSDN" in their eyes it is something like:
>>>
>>>1) Microsoft web site
>>>2) Costly subscription
>>>3) A kind of library
>>>4) Developers newsgroup
>>>
>>>:)