I believe the Academic edition of VC++ 6 is crippled in the same way. In both cases MS are trying to get you to use the product - so that if you do anything serious with it, you will buy the full edition.

VC++ 5 isn't all that much worse than 6, and you can often pick up the Professional edition pretty inexpensively, now. I picked up my copy for $25!

- Splat

My opinion is not based on personal greed (I own Visual Studio Enterprise, Borland C++ Builder 4 Professional, and MANY older programs (BC4.5, 5.0, MASM6.11, etc.), but as a simple philosophical statement. I do not believe in the same concepts of ownwership and and rights that many others do.

I used to pirate software (before I got a nice job making it) but I didn't switch because I got morals, I switched because I got money. I do not begrudge the people out there who (for WHATEVER reason) choose to steal rather than buy my software: I have lost nothing and they have gained from my toil (the whole purpose of the work in the first place). I do HOPE that most people have the WISDOM to purchase software where they can, because in the end either enough people decide to pay for it or the company goes out of bussiness. I do not buy software becuase I feel I OWE them for services rendered, but instead primarily as an investment for continued development, AND as a personal payment for value I feel I have recieved.

If you realy think people own things and OWE other people, then clearly you have forgotten the purpose and outcome of most wars. A debt is only meaningful when paid, and a RIGHT only exists when accepted/given. If you are curious, I consider myself to be a rational anarchist in the vain of Thomas Jefferson. Good Day Good Sirs.