Am just starting C++ and while looking for IDEs visual studio was rated as the best but it was to darn bulky for me. I tested a few including DevC that the teacher is using but i ended up settling with NetBeans IDE. To me it works well and very light. It uses Cygwin gcc and g++ to compile projects. Its also expandable so i'll be using it next year for php and java
To find what you seek in the road of life, the best proverb of all is that which says: "Leave no stone unturned." Edward Bulwer Lytton