Integrated environment for program development

• Editor
• Debugger
• Project manager
• Supports many development tools concurrently

Good points

• Enhances programmer productivity
• Hides much of the complexity of programing in Windows
• Neutralizes the interface to various compilers eg Intel, Salford
• Can build various "builds" consistently eg "Debug", "Release"
• Supports many compilers, not just Fortran

Bad Points

• Takes a bit of time to master (about 1 day to feel comfortable)
• Sometimes obscures project options
• It is not available on linux
• It is made by Microsoft