try minGW-------its a version of the BASH shell but it runs in windows, it alows you to run the usual unix commandline apps, compile C programs(even linux ones), and run native windows apps as well
to compile stuff you will need the developer toolkit-->DTK as well
you will also need some basic unix commandline skills, but its a very effective way of getting things done
windows as of yet does not have anything even close to what POSIX compliant systems offer