Software Question

[AnAngelsDeath]

I am starting to learn how to Program. Stuff like Visual Basic and C+/C++ and so I got the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010. But just now I was looking through Revo Unistaller Pro, getting rid of some stuff I don't need anymore, just doing some spring cleaning lol But I noticed that I have like so many different entries for Microsoft Visual C++ from 2005, 2008 and 2010. And I was wondering if I really need all of those. There has to be like 20 different entries. Since I have 2010, can I get rid of all the 2005 and 2008 ones.

Also, on a side not, since I believe this has to do with Coding. What is the MSXML Parser 4.0 for. From the lil bit I read on google, It seem it has to do with programming applications in a .xml extension. Which I believe Android is one of the things that uses files in .XML. Is that correct. And is it something I need, Cause I don't remember ever installing it myself.

 

[wonderfield]

You may or may not need many of them, but there's no harm in them being there. Just leave them be.

As for MSXML, Wikipedia describes it well.

 

[Fort_Major]

I am starting to learn how to Program. Stuff like Visual Basic and C+/C++ and so I got the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010. But just now I was looking through Revo Unistaller Pro, getting rid of some stuff I don't need anymore, just doing some spring cleaning lol But I noticed that I have like so many different entries for Microsoft Visual C++ from 2005, 2008 and 2010. And I was wondering if I really need all of those. There has to be like 20 different entries. Since I have 2010, can I get rid of all the 2005 and 2008 ones.

Also, on a side not, since I believe this has to do with Coding. What is the MSXML Parser 4.0 for. From the lil bit I read on google, It seem it has to do with programming applications in a .xml extension. Which I believe Android is one of the things that uses files in .XML. Is that correct. And is it something I need, Cause I don't remember ever installing it myself.

If you are developing in the Microsoft world you will learn to have your world drowning with thousands of "seemingly unnecessary" COM components, 30+ packges with nearly the same name filling up your "Add/Remove Programs". It just goes with the territory, and removing one of them can be quite disastrous. The type of disaster where the best answer is almost always a "reformat" or hours and hours of removing / reinstalling/researching / manually trying to fix something .

It's the price one pays for the "level of complexity"

 

[aL Mac]

If you are developing in the Microsoft world you will learn to have your world drowning with thousands of "seemingly unnecessary" COM components, 30+ packges with nearly the same name filling up your "Add/Remove Programs". It just goes with the territory, and removing one of them can be quite disastrous. The type of disaster where the best answer is almost always a "reformat" or hours and hours of removing / reinstalling/researching / manually trying to fix something .

It's the price one pays for the "level of complexity"

That statement is awfully broad / exaggerated.. I develop "in the MS world" and experience none of that.

 

[Fort_Major]

That statement is awfully broad / exaggerated.. I develop "in the MS world" and experience none of that.

If you have installed Visual Studio 2010 + a version of SQL Server 2008 You will have no less than 30-40 odd components listed in the add/remove programs.


Install Silverlight development and you can have anywhere from 5 to 10 more depending upon if you use Expression.

Update your Visual Studio and install ASP.NET MVC 3 or 4 and you get a few more.

Run an application that takes a snapshot of your file/registry prior to installation of these and then reports all file/registry changes and you will see that in fact I am right.

It's a "necessary evil" but it very much exists.

 

[aL Mac]

i guess I'm curious which component you think is extra junk, I mean it sounds like you are installing quite a few things, which all have different components to them. Other than browsing your programs does it cause you any real problems?

 

[gamerk2]

What happens is applications generally statically link against the libraries they are coded with. As a result, the Visual Studio Redistrutible package needs to be installed for that SPECIFIC version of Visual Studio.

Point being: just leave them be.

 

[RogerTheEngineer]

What happens is applications generally statically link against the libraries they are coded with. As a result, the Visual Studio Redistrutible package needs to be installed for that SPECIFIC version of Visual Studio.

I believe you have that backwards. if you static link then you don't need the redistributables installed. When you use the DLL then you do.

 

[mikeblas]

If you have installed Visual Studio 2010 + a version of SQL Server 2008 You will have no less than 30-40 odd components listed in the add/remove programs.

I don't. What options did you select when you installed Visual Studio 2010 and SQL Server 2008? These are both very large packages with many components -- are you just complaining that you're able to un-instlall things that you asked to install?

It's a "necessary evil" but it very much exists.

Supposing you're correct -- that installing sevreal components leaves the option to remove several components in Control Panel -- what "evil" effects are troubling you?

 

[haze1er]

none of this is important for you right now just focus on writing and reading code. you'll learn what you need and what you don't once you start building applications.

good luck.

 

[Fort_Major]

i guess I'm curious which component you think is extra junk, I mean it sounds like you are installing quite a few things, which all have different components to them. Other than browsing your programs does it cause you any real problems?

The OP was very concerned about extra and seemingly unnecessary registry/install entries.

 

[Fort_Major]

I don't. What options did you select when you installed Visual Studio 2010 and SQL Server 2008? These are both very large packages with many components -- are you just complaining that you're able to un-instlall things that you asked to install?
Supposing you're correct -- that installing sevreal components leaves the option to remove several components in Control Panel -- what "evil" effects are troubling you?

It doesn't trouble me "that much". It's just more a nuisance that I have approximately 1/2 of my installation entries is Microsoft related and almost all 30-50 entries could be condensed/collapsed into 3-5 entries.

The statement was stated from the stance of the OP being concerned about extra registry/installation entries. And he has a very valid point.

The "evil"-ness I referred to actually comes more from the thousands of "component registrations" that come with installing VS/SQL Server. Awesome products but wow when some component fails for some random reason. And thus the fun that you get when either Microsoft or (You, no me) makes a mistake that prevents something from working or installing. And you get to chase around the intarwebs trying to find the broken component, uninstall the references and clean up the "____ trails" left behind so that you can do a reinstall of a component so things work again.

 

[mikeblas]

The statement was stated from the stance of the OP being concerned about extra registry/installation entries. And he has a very valid point.

Does he? Why? What net effect to extra registry entries have? You've said they annoy you -- but why?

 

[Fort_Major]

Does he? Why? What net effect to extra registry entries have? You've said they annoy you -- but why?

Because I'm entitled to be annoyed by them? Hah? I've done my share of troubleshooting and cleaning the messes left behind by them and/or botched updates.

 

[AnAngelsDeath]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I had a feeling that it would be best to just leave them be, but I wanted to ask anyways. They aren't taking up that much room, which I have plenty of anyways, so it's no big deal if they stay there.

since we are on the topic of programming tho, is there any good books and/or internet guides that would be good to check out for some just getting into the world of programming. I've been doing 3D Modelling and Animation for awhile and so now I wanna learn the coding side of things. For stuff like Game Programming, Android Development, Software Development.

 

[mikeblas]

For a beginner, the best books are "Code" and "Write Great Code: Volume 1: Understanding the Machine". They'll help you understand how computers work and how programmers think of them; without understanding the operating principles, writing good code is simply not possible.

After that, you'll want to figure out what your specific goals are -- those that you list are too broad to be realistic, and would mean that you need to learn tons of things before you are able to approach them.

You should search around in this forum more as there are many threads like yours with ambitious people who want to get started and ask about resources and different paths. For whatever reason, the moderators have failed to make any of the appropriate posts stickies.

 

[PTNL]

But I noticed that I have like so many different entries for Microsoft Visual C++ from 2005, 2008 and 2010. And I was wondering if I really need all of those. There has to be like 20 different entries. Since I have 2010, can I get rid of all the 2005 and 2008 ones.

Are any of those entries "redistributable" packs? If so, they may have been loaded during the installation of some games or other applications you've installed. But in general, I'd say leave them be.

Also, on a side not, since I believe this has to do with Coding. What is the MSXML Parser 4.0 for. From the lil bit I read on google, It seem it has to do with programming applications in a .xml extension. Which I believe Android is one of the things that uses files in .XML. Is that correct. And is it something I need, Cause I don't remember ever installing it myself.

That may have come from a Windows Update.

 

[gamerk2]

I believe you have that backwards. if you static link then you don't need the redistributables installed. When you use the DLL then you do.

Yeah, me = backward.

I ALWAYS statically link to avoid needing to carry the DLLs with me, but, in order to keep the size of the actual program smaller, people tend to dynamiclly link against the MSVC libraries.

 

[mikeblas]

Program size really doesn't matter these days.