Microsoft has just made the Visual Studio 2005 BETA 1 Express editions available for free download.
There are currently 6 Express products available for download:

• Visual Basic 2005 Express
• Visual C# 2005 Express
• Visual C++ 2005 Express
• Visual J# 2005 Express
• Visual Web Dev 2005 Express
• SQL Server 2005 Express

These versions include many of the same productivity features found in Visual Studio, all streamlined to fit the needs of the non-professional Windows developer.

At the same time, the Microsoft developer community Channel 9 announced a coding contest.

Prizes are a XBox, a XBox Live! subscription for one year and a copy of Halo2.

So, what are you supposed to do in order to enter the contest?
I'll make it easy for myself and cite Channel 9 directly:

Entrants must access http://msdn.microsoft.com/express and download a version of free beta version of Microsoft Express software. The following beta versions are available for download: Visual C# 2005 Express Edition, Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition, Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition, Visual J# 2005 Express Edition, Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (collectively referred to as "Express").

Entrants must use a single version of Express to develop a "non-business" application and submit it online by following the instructions listed at http://channel9.msdn.com.express. However any entry can use a single version of Express in conjunction with SQL Server Express, but SQL Server Express is not required. Entrants may submit only 1 entry per category, and each entry must be substantially unique in content and function.


I have a pretty good idea already on what kind of application to write. It's probably gonna be some kind of project time tracking software. But I have to figure out the specs first.

Watch and learn ;)