[Python-Dev] VC++ 2008 Express Edition now locked away?

[Ezio Melotti]

Hi,

On Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 12:20 PM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:
> Clicking this link
> http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14597
> on this Developer Guide page
> http://docs.python.org/devguide/setup.html#windows
> now returns a
> "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found."
> page with search results.
>
> The first search result
> http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/nl/Vsexpressinstall/thread/2dc7ae6a-a0e7-436b-a1b3-3597ffac6a97
> suggests that one must first go to http://profile.microsoft.com
> which forwards to the live.com login page. Logging in with my un-expired
> non-developer account did not make the original link work.
>
> The mdsn page http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/
> has Visual Studio / Download trial, which leads to
> https://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng/downloads
> which lists 2012 and 2010 but not 2008.
>
> I suspect that an msdn account is required for most people to get 2008.
>
> A later link leads to
> https://www.dreamspark.com/Product/Product.aspx?productid=34#
> which suggests that vc++2008 express is also available to verified degree
> students. I don't qualify so I will not try.
>

I did try a few weeks ago, when I had to download a copy of Windows
for a project.  Long story short, after 30+ minutes and a number of
confirmation emails I reached a point where I had a couple of new
accounts on MSDN/Dreamspark, a "purchased" free copy of Windows in my
e-cart, and some .exe I had to download in order to download and
verify the purchased copy.  That's where I gave up.

Best Regards,
Ezio Melotti


> So it would appear that section "1.1.3.3. Windows" of "1. Getting Started"
> (setup.rst) needs further revision.
>
> Or perhaps we could persuade Microsoft to let us distribute it ourselves so
> Windows versions of 2.7 do not become increasingly unusable.
>
> --
> Terry Jan Reedy
>