Contributing to codebase with Codeblocks compiled pandas, tests for new features?
Hello
I would like to contribute to pandas codebase as I've (hopefully) had some expectedly nice features  ideas for it, but it is not easy to start;)
I am stuck at the time I have to compile my own pandas as Visual Studio 2017 refuses to install on my machine because of Net Framework 4.6.
It is unfortunate that MS assistance can't help here (their forums mark these topics as duplicate and send back to topics which have not been solved. Genius), so I tried to find some alternative
in Code::Blocks http://www.codeblocks.org/
Some compilers provided with the default Code::Blocks installation are GNU GCC (MinGW/Cygwin), MS Visual C++ Free Toolkit 2003, Borland's C++ Compiler 5.5, DigitalMars Free Compiler., OpenWatcom, Small Device C Compiler (SDCC) and others. 
Would it be fitting for working with Python and Pandas codebase?

What are alternative solutions?
I really want to contribute, but being stuck on the first steps is pitiful (but doesn't reflect my coding ability, I hope:)).

Do you know if there is a lighter /friendlier user contribution roadmap?
The document https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/blob/master/doc/source/contributing.rst#working-with-the-code is very complete but quite harsh to approach.
It is not very clear what should be installed from the start (I read about cpplint, clang, flake8, asv and pytest but I wonder why they don't come as an addition to pandas dependencies so you really create an environment with the complete tools).

Thanks by advance