I have been studying c++ for some time now and I think am ready to begin programming. I have Visual V++ 4 is it worth updating to Visual C++ 6. Is there any difference between the two as far as STL and all the other stuff that comes with it?

Hmmm, I''m not even sure VC4 HAS an STL implementation. Regardless, it can''t be very good. The one they shipped with VC 5 was horribly buggy, even after the service packs. VC6 is an improvement, (also in other standards features) but it still lags far behind the competition. Nonetheless, if you just want a well recognized compiler, and something that people will be able to help you out with (and you WILL need help trying to program with any version of VC) I''d suggest VC6.

-Brian

Of course you should get VC6 if you have VC4. You''re already used to the environment, so why not pretty it up and make it more useful (most of the time). While I can''t say VC6 is perfect, it is a great improvement when compared to VC4. Personally, I bought VC6 just because the immense ammount of support for the product out there. I also wanted to delve into OpenGL, and VC6 seemed to be what most tutorials/books I was reading used - I haven''t had a problem with OpenGL yet.

-Villim

A few reasons to upgrade:

Intellisense (completes the function for you, VERY nice)
Updated functionality for Win32API and GDI
Better documentation
Enough difference that an employer will want you to have experience with the newer one
People can help you more easily if they have the same version as you
Wasn''t 4.0 still 16 bit based?

Wait for 7 if you want, but definately upgrade soon.
-fel

Speaking of 7.0, you have any clue when it''s coming out?

Mike

The intellisense feature, or whatever it is called, is extremely usefull. Before i got VC 6 i was using GNU''s free compiler, and the autofunction completions is so extremely usefull that i would have gotten VC 6 for that reason alone (that is if I had relized that at the time).

About 7.0, I have no idea. the only thing i know about 7.0 is that it will come after 6.0 =)

thanks.... you answered every question i had about visual c++ 4...i was a fraid to make a game cause it might not compile cause of the new technologies. now my question is waiting for 7 or getting 6....i still have some books to read etc. well i well wait and see.
thanks a whole bunch guys