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What is the best way to write a non-.NET Windows client application?

I am trying to evaluate if I should make the .NET Framework mandatory for my new Windows application. I believe that .NET is the best and most efficient way to write client applications for Windows, so it all depends on how painful the next best alternative is. In particular, I try to avoid installing the .NET profile of a client that downloads 28 MB and, if it looks like a regular installer of the .NET Framework, takes forever.

I have used wxWidgets and WTL before and I think both options are good. Statically linked wxWidgets executables are 30 MB, but they will be packaged. WTL has a small footprint, but is created with an ugly code. I have used several MSI creators, but these are not WiX or NSIS, which seem to be the best free options.

I am looking for any recommendations, experience with the installer of the client profile, experience with small custom business applications, or any relevant recommendations.

Edit: I'm only a few thousand dollars, so I'm looking for something free or cheap (after Visual Studio, which I already have). I do not mind learning a new language, but I would prefer it to be used.

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16 answers

It depends on how you distribute the application. If you have the option for cd or other physical media, you can distribute the runtime through this media, and 28Mb - nothing.

Otherwise, you have such a 28 megabyte download. Another option is to abandon .Net and choose another toolkit. The C ++ Builder / Delphi option was pretty attractive, but I don't know what their platform looks like these days.

[update]
Recently, I’ve heard that monotony is getting pretty good, and you can use it to compile and statically link an .Net application as a native * .exe file. We will need to make sure that this is a good option.

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MFC (, boost), 10 , , , . 32- 28 . , , ++ MFC, , , (, , - ).

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Delphi ++ Builder Codegear.

, Win32, RAD VCL. , Codegear , , , .NET Delphi Prism RemObjects.

: Gortok : " Delphi IDE, Delphi?"

Simple. , . , , . Delphi 2009 $874. , Visual Studio 2008 Pro .

, Turbo Delphi, . Delphi 2006, , - - .

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Qt? , , VS200x ( , , ), - WinCE () .

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- Delphi?

Delphi (RAD). , dotNet, . -, -.

, Pascal, . Delphi ( ++).

Delphi ?

, , , - ( dotNet runtime ++ redistributable).

, , dotNet Prism.

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:

, .NET , , Win32 . Delphi, Tcl/TK, MFC, - , .NET, 28Mb .NET.

.NET( )

  • Drag-And-Drop,
  • .NET( , Windows - - )
  • ( , Mono)
  • Low-Cost

, , .NET. Time , , ++ MFC, . Delphi , .

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RealBasic.

( .NET, ) windows/linux/mac, 3

- BASIC WYSIWYG drag n drop.

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, WTL ++ wtlbuilder.com

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, windows api. , ...

1./Windows Forms # VB.NET(.NET)

2./Visual Component Library (VCL) Delphi ++ Builder ( )

3./Windows Presentation Framework ( ) # VB.NET

4./MFC - (Shudder) Visual ++

, PowerBuilder ..

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, .NET, , .NET, - Visual Basic 6.

, , , , . , , .

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, .NET 1.1 .NET Framework. , XP ( ) . - , - Windows 2000 , .

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U ++ :

"" - ++ UI ?

++, U ++, , , , .NET, ++.

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REALbasic. Windows, .

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Free Pascal Lazarus IDE. Delphi Free Pascal. Lazarus , FCL.

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Go with Realbasic. It is the easiest, fastest and requires no dependencies. (Since its short runtime is included in your exe)

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Another option is to use Mono with mkbundle. Mkbundle takes your application and all the assemblies that it refers to, and packs them into a single binary package.

Here is a link to one of Mono's pages about it.

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