Home Software Installation Instructions

Instructions vary with the platform you are using.

For Windows users, it is sufficient to install Microsoft Visual Studio (MSVS) Express with C++. We recommend Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Desktop. Also install TortoiseSVN to be able to check in your projects into the department's repository.
Mac users can set up a windows virtual machine. For that, you can then install MSVS C++ Express, and TortoiseSVN in it. As a Kent-State student you can get a free copy of VMware Fusion for Mac OS virtualization software through E-Academy. Follow this link, then click on "VM Ware" tab and select "VMware Fusion 4.0 (for Mac OS X)". You can get a copy of Windows Server 2008 R2 (which is equivalent to Windows 7) to install on the VM, through Microsoft's DreamSpark program
If this route is not suitable, you can install Eclipse (a different integrated development environment) with C++ plugin and Xcode (comes on the Mac OS installation CD). This way you can still develop and submit your programs. However, Eclipse differs from MSVS and you won't directly benefit from the MSVS instruction done in class.
Linux users can also set up a virtual machine. The recommended Linux virtualization software is VMWare Player. Once set up, you can install the Windows (need to apply for DreamSpark to get a copy), MSVS C++ Express and TortoiseSVN in the virtual machine as in Mac.
If virtual machine installation fails, you can, similar to Mac, install eclipse with C++ plugin and use g++ compiler toolchain that comes installed with most flavors of Linux.