Here’s a good article that explains how well the Visual Studio 2005 compiler can optimize .net managed C++ code. To me, it’s just further argument that “unmanaged” (“native”) (read: portable, non-MS-proprietary) C++ code is far superior. Is there anything in the .net API that is really really necessary that would be more difficult in straight C++? MS is committed to
making an effort to ensure that there is, so you go with their proprietary solutions. But I will always make an effort to code everything I can in portable clean C++, and link to .net managed C++ only when necessary.

And to follow up, here’s an article from Paul DiLascia, who’s been kicking a$$ with his C++ Q&A articles for decades, explaining how to link in .net code with unmanaged C++ code, on a MODULE-BY-MODULE basis! Excellent.

Update: There’s no stopping him, in his next article he shows how to “wrap (.net) Framework classes in a native way so you can use them in any C++/MFC app without /clr”.

From CVS checkin comment:

“HTDJ is now VS 7 compatible. This means we start using the VS 7 ( VS .net 2003 ) compiler from now on – I do NOT want to have to deal with keeping it compatible with VC 6. Boost here we come!”

HangTheDJ stable build April 16, 2004 (old!)
HangTheDJ development build Feb 22, 2005

I’ve been playing with PGP for a long time, and it was a sad day when it was sucked up and commercialized. There’s still a free version somewhere, but now there’s an open-source solution as well, GPG. Works great! Under Windoze, there’s a GUI called GPGshell that is very PGP-ish. Countrymen, send me your keys!

Trying out k3b, looks to be the best GUI front-end for the command line utilities cdrecord, cdrdao, and growisofs. Looks nero-like, cool.

It’s been a while since I’ve added any info about HangTheDJ. It’s been going through a revamp where I’m making user-resizable components out of most of the elements of the GUI. The menu, controls and toolbars are all now hosted in a resizable rebar, ala IE’s toolbar, where you can have multiple resizable toolbars on each row:





Also, the other major components are contained in dockable dialog bars:





There are still a lot of kinks to work out with this rework. Just so you know… 😛 Should have a downloadable version soon…