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Developing Software

Overview

Apple and Microsoft offer a wide variety of free development tools for creating scripts, software, and custom solutions for their operating systems.

Mac OS X:

The following development tools are bundled free on the OS X install disks:

  • Script Editor for creating AppleScripts

  • Xcode and Interface Builder for coding full scale C, C++, Objective-C, or Java applications

  • AppleScript studio (part of Xcode) for coding AppleScript-based applications

  • WebObjects comes free on the OS X DVD (as of 10.4.2; people who purchased earlier versions of OS X can download it free from Apple's website). WebObjects is a powerful environment for creating web applications. The iTunes Music Store is a perfect example of what WebObjects can do. Unfortunately, licenses to deploy WebObjects-based solutions is not free.

  • IconComposer for turning images into icons

  • MRJBuilder for building Java applications

  • Pixie for close ups to check if you are displaying things correctly

  • Quartz Debug, that shows you how much you are redrawing and how inefficient your drawing code may be

  • PackageMaker for making application packages

ppleScript Studio
Using AppleScript Studio within Xcode

Xcode updates are available for free (to members of Apple's Developer Connection, membership is free).

Windows XP

Since vbscripts are just text files they can be created in NotePad, but there's no syntax coloring, syntax checking or code assistance (Script Editor for OS X has syntax coloring, code auto-complete and code samples accessible via right-clicking).

While Microsoft doesn't bundle any real developer tools with XP, they do offer a complete line of software development tools available to download from their website. Visual Studio Express comes with the following tools:

  • Visual Basic Express
  • Visual C# Express
  • Visual C++ Express
  • Visual J# Express
  • Visual Web Developer Express
  • SQL Server Express

Visual Studio Express lacks some of the more powerful features and functionality offered by Microsoft's Visual Studio standard and professional editions such as macros and advanced debugging features. Microsoft offers a comparison between its Visual Studio products on their website.

Microsoft also offers the following free downloads:

Conclusion

Apple offers a more complete suite of free developer tools for OS X while Microsoft's Visual Studio Express is more tailored for students and novice developers.

Mac OS X

  • While the tools to build WebObjects-based solutions may be free, deployment licenses cost $699

Windows XP

  • Microsoft's Visual Web Developer Express doesn't require any deployment licenses

Mac OS X: 9
Windows XP: 1 (8)

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