How do you use an ISO file without writing to a disk?

I got a free student version of Visual Studio 2008 for use with my programming class.

I downloaded it and discovered it was an ISO file and wants to be written to a DVD as an image.

I would like to know how I can use the ISO file without burning it to a disk.
Is there some program that will let me write it to a folder?

I know I can use other compilers, but I'm already familiar with Visual Studio 2008 and I know I'm going to have to deal with ISO files again in the forseeable future

Thanks in advance.

MagicISO.

Deamon Tools is a good one.

You'll want to download Daemon Tools, http://www.daemon-tools.cc/eng/home. It creates virtual drives on your computer so you can mount ISO files without having to burn them to disc. The virtual drives show up just like they were another disc or hard drive and can be completely disabled so if you don't have an ISO loaded you won't have to see the drive.

After you have an ISO file loaded in a virtual drive is looks and acts just like it would if you burned the ISO to a CD or DVD.

Hey there Twilight Mage, I just got into a programming class doing Visual Basic as well... I found that if the student version doesn't have all the features you want you can get a 90 day trial of Visual Studio Professional here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/bb655861.aspx

see if your school has an academic alliance with microsoft. then you can get professional for free. if not, demonoid cough cough.

if you don't *have* to use 2008, 2010 professional release candidate is out for free right now (its pretty much nothing to lose over what will be released., though they haven't gotten back to me on my bugs. :/)

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I actually have it downloaded from the academic alliance.
The only thing that makes it a student version is that it's not for profitable use.

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If you like BASIC you might want to try Python.
I did BASIC in my first CS class.
Now I'm using C++.

P.S. Zork was programmed in BASIC.

ahh well now i know who to ask if i have any problems lol. This is my first CS class and my first introduction to programming, I'm liking it so far 

MagicISO looks like it'll be easier to get up and running.
Still, thanks to Jager, Ryatic, and BuckyKat.