will there be a F# express edition?

Question

I know VS2010 is coming out soon and that usually corresponds to a update of the express versions

does anyone know if they are going to make a separate F# express suite?

Answer 1

From this page :

Don says: Our current plan is not to have a separate express edition, but instead to continue to provide a version of the development tools that can either be used as a standalone command line compiler, or as an add-in, initially to Visual Studio 2008.

UPDATE

Today a new release of F# includes an installer into the VS2010 integrated shell. So you can have a 'free' VS2010 experience of F# now.

Answer 2

You can install Visual Studio 2008 Shell and install F# add-in on top of it (which makes it effectively free). I can't see a need for an express edition.

Answer 3

They say It will come with VS2010:

http://cs.hubfs.net/blogs/f_team/archive/2009/05/20/10398.aspx

Answer 4

Mehrdad is of course correct that the VS shell can be installed for free and then you just install the free F#. And he's correct again that to get both C# Express and VB Express on one machine is two separate installs.

So for the stack-overflow types, really there is no need for F# Express.

But consider a high-school, community-college or university setting. It's easier for the instructor, and easier for all the students to visit one site (the future 2010 Express edition site) and click on install F# Express. One URL for the instructors to document in class handouts, one place to go per student, then one install operation per student. And no instructor or student has to worry "Should I install integrated mode VS shell or isolated mode VS shell?"

Again, there's no issue here for stack-overflow people. And it won't be an issue in the classrooms until instructors want to put F# into their classrooms.

But there is a bit of chicken/egg here. If an F# Express edition exists before there is much demand in the classrooms, that removes a hurdle, which means classroom demand could take off sooner. Maybe a lot sooner.

Answer 5

编译器是免费的（就像啤酒一样），所以你只缺少一个编辑器。