Windows CE

Microsoft® Windows® CE is an open, scalable, 32-bit operating system (OS) that integrates reliable, real time capabilities with advanced Windows technologies. Windows CE allows you to build a wide range of innovative, small footprint devices. A typical Windows CE–based device is designed for a specific use, often runs disconnected from other computers, and requires a small OS that has a deterministic response to interrupts. Examples include enterprise tools, such as industrial controllers, communications hubs, and point-of-sale terminals, and consumer products, such as cameras, Internet appliances, and interactive televisions.
[Taken from the Windows CE 5.0 Platform-Builder-Help]

• Application Notes
• Board Support Packages
• Drvlib
• SPARK-Project

Windows Embedded CE has changed its naming convention with the last releases.
On the first release it is called WinCE. Starting with version 4.0 it is called WinCE .Net, than Windows CE 5.0 and currently it is called Windows Embedded CE 6.

The Platform-Builder includes everything needed to build and debug a custom Windows CE image.
Till Windows CE 5 it was a seperate tool.
As of Windows Embedded CE 6 it is a plug-in for Visual Studio 2005 professional.

After building an image with Platform-Builder, you can create a Software Development Kit which is used by Visual Studio or Embedded Visual C++ to build applications for a Windows CE device.

This is a free tool which can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/download. It allows you to build and debug applications written in native code ( C and C++).
Since Windows Embedded CE6 support has been discontinued.

This is Microsoft's standard development IDE to build native and managed (C#) application.
To remotly debug applications the professional version is needed.