The Microsoft official SDK for Kinect is easy to use. Basically you download it, plug the Kinect into a free USB socket, and start programming. You can create applications in C#, VB or any .NET language including C++.
Its only disadvantage is that it has a non-commercial license, which means you cannot use it to make any profit, or even use it at all within a profit making organization. If all you want to do is explore the Kinect or have some fun, then this is no big problem.
You also need to be running Windows 7, which is perhaps a bigger restriction.
As well as being easy to use, the new SDK is also significantly more powerful than what you can find as open source - it has an improved body tracker and it supports the Kinect's sound hardware.
Getting started with Microsoft Kinect SDK
Hello Kinect in Windows Forms
Working in WPF
Its only disadvantage is that it has a non-commercial license, which means you cannot use it to make any profit, or even use it at all within a profit making organization. If all you want to do is explore the Kinect or have some fun, then this is no big problem.
You also need to be running Windows 7, which is perhaps a bigger restriction.
As well as being easy to use, the new SDK is also significantly more powerful than what you can find as open source - it has an improved body tracker and it supports the Kinect's sound hardware.
Getting started with Microsoft Kinect SDK
Hello Kinect in Windows Forms
Working in WPF
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