Never use old Borland C++ compilers (except for dog fights with deviations of C++ standard).

The best free C++ compiler + IDE now is VC++ 2008 Express edition, of course. Regrettably, its distribution size is ~200 Mb + ~200 Mb for MSDN Expess (if you want more than rudimentary help) + ~150 Mb of Windows SDK (if you want Windows API).

Otherwise I think the best choice (especially for beginners) is Code::Blocks IDE with MinGW port of GNU C++ compiler. It's a compact and relatively well-supported system.
http://www.codeblocks.org/

Dev-C++ IDE (with the same MinGW ported compiler) was a good choice some year ago. As far as I know it's a frozen project now (old versions of MinGW etc).

Well, I think that in more recent versions of c++ compilers, displaying output is difficult and I suggested boreland for beginner..
I guess its more user friendly!

If everyone is giving opinions, I would also cast my vote to GNU GCC
If you are on a Linux, you probably already know about it.
GNU g++ is the command line compiler. But there exists various IDE like Dev-C++ which uses GNU g++ as the compiler.
I personally use a normal Text Editor and Commandline.
But you may also like to have a look at CodeBlocks which is a free IDE.
On windows, there exists MinGW as a port of G++.

So, if you ask me a good compiler on windows, my opinion goes with
MinGW gcc, with CodeBlocks
http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/5


Although, compiler's completely depends on taste of the programer.

I am sorry ArkM , I didnt notice you already have told him about GNU g++

Who exactly?
The OP left the forum 4 YEARS ago.
And there the thread lay, nice and quiet until a day ago.