How to Develop Windows Applications

Question

2 parts of the question I want to Develop Software for Windows (especially 7)

1. What Language and knowledge Do i Need to know ?
2. What Software should i use to develop them ?

Please answer the question w.r.t both stand alone binaries and perhaps the .NET arena too.

Does one need to code really deep or are there softwares that enable me to do point and click stuff and create something quick and fast.

How good a choice would python be, in which case what do i need to develop with python?

Synchronic

Answer 1

I suggest you learn C# and WPF. For that you will need Visual Studio.

Galcha

+1 For suggesting .NET to get fast working GUI-based apps for windows platforms. WPF allows for modern graphics features. – Spirited

Answer 2

You can use C# for developing a windows based application.

For that you can use Visual Studio IDE.

C# provides a large set of classes for interacting with the windows OS.

Edit:

If you are a newbie to the language then you can read tutorials and make a basic understanding and then keep on looking for projects.

Bluff

that means direct hard-coding? – Synchronic

Are you looking for a library for doing the task? If you can explain what application you develop then it would be easier to help. – Bluff

so that involves a study of the entire API and libraries. Anything easier? – Synchronic

basic applications like RSS readers, notepads, etc. things that are already there but just for the sake of learning how to do it for real – Synchronic

indeed i am a newbie to c# however i know decent bit of programming in the form of the traditional C, C++ etc (college stuff) :( – Synchronic

Answer 3

Microsoft Visual Studio Expression Edition are best tools to learn and FREE Windows Apps like Microsoft Visual C# 2008 Express Edition

Languages to learn C# for Front End

SQL for Backend

ADO.NET for Connectivity between these tow

Monolith

Answer 4

Note that if you're developing for Windows 7, then your users already have .NET 3.5 SP1. And your other users can obtain it easily (you can make a ClickOnce installer for your app in Visual Studio, which automatically configures the customer's machine with a minimal download).

Also it isn't quite true that there is a hard distinction between visual programming and "hard" progrmaming - most tools mix these techniques. In C# these days you probably want to learn WPF, where the layout of the UI is a lot like doing HTML to lay out a web page.

Douglass

so would it better (read easier and better) to develop in the .net part or simple c# would do (or am i mixing things)? – Synchronic

C# and VB.NET are languages for developing on the .NET runtime. WPF is a library for writing UI apps. WPF uses an XML-based language called XAML. So you do some coding in XAML to lay out the UI and some in C# or VB.NET to make the app. respond to input. – Douglass

Answer 5

1. C#: I'm pretty sure you can use it for stand-alone applications as well
2. Visual Studio: You might get some free visual studio express version somewhere, I even got one with a magazine.

Helban