So pigs have flown, and hell must have frozen over, because I come from a time in computing where this idea was simply unimaginable.

Microsoft has finally released Visual Studio for the Mac!

https://www.visualstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/VS-for-Mac.png

# Mac Love

I was a devoted Microsoft customer for well over a decade and back in 2003, everyone would have scoffed at the idea of producing anything for the Mac. However, in 2013 I got fed up with Windows 8, so I got my first Mac and fell in love.

# .Net Love

Having been a Microsoft fan for so many years, I put a lot of time and effort into C# programming for the Microsoft.Net Framework. So while I had found a new platform that I felt was better for me than Windows 8, I was left without access to my strongest skills in C#.Net.

# The Mac UI

The UI has been designed like a Mac app, so it does appear to be a simple port of Visual Studio. This app is being treated as a first class citizen by honoring the Mac UI guidelines.

https://www.visualstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-26-at-3.46.30-PM.png

# .Net Core

These latest versions of .Net abandon some older concepts but apps written in the new .Net Core will run on more than just Windows. The Microsoft Xamarin libraries run on .Net core too bringing a full suite of .Net based mobile development tools to the Mac. Microsoft has touted it's MVC Framework as the "Fastest Web Framework on Planet" and they directly challenge competing architectures like Google's Angular with their latest versions of .Net Core. All together, this has become a cross-platform programming language for nearly any general purpose. 

# Game Development

Microsoft was sure to announce that Visual Studio for the Mac will support the Unity Game Development Engine too. I am a Unity Indie Game Developer and this has been on my wish list for a long time. Visual Studio's Intellisense feature is second to none and it is a big reason why the product is such a success. I have not tried it yet, but I hope all my dreams have finally come true here.

https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/2017/05/2017-05-10-VSMac-GA-Post-UnityPhotoEnterprise.png

# Sources

Much of this was released to the public during the Microsoft 2017 Build Conference last week. Below are some links for more reading if you are interested like I am.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/2017/05/10/visual-studio-for-mac-now-generally-available/

https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/visual-studio-mac/