I realize this is a Pelles C forum, so the answers might be prejudiced towards Pelles C, but I'd like to know your thoughts anyway.
I'm a VB/VB.Net/ASP/ASP.Net/JavaScript programmer by trade, but I'm also a hobbyist windows programmer at home. On the hobby side, I've gone from VB to IBasic to BCX in the past couple years. I don't like the run-times of VB, I don't like the personal problems IBasic now has, and I don't like that BCX isn't really its own language (no compiler/linker). I've looked around for other basic-like languages to use as my hobby, but after being disappointed with everything I find, I'm considering switching over to C/C++. I'm a bit concerned about the learning curve, but that's just something I'm going to have to do (or stick with basic forever).
The 2 flavors of C/C++ I have installed right now are Pelles C and Bloodshed Dev-C++. Both seem to have well developed IDEs and active forums. Pelles C's community seems much smaller, but that's not necessarily a bad thing - especially considering Pelle himself is active in this forum.
So my question is simply, why should I take the time with Pelles C vs. Dev-C++ vs. another C/C++?
What are the advantages of Pelles C?
What are the disadvantages of Pelles C?
What are some other C/C++ languages in the same class as Pelles C?
How do they compare?
Thanks for your time and responses!
-Thad