Future versions and developing...

[PaulYuk_MS]

Good points above.

Here's my take as the person in charge of VB6.
- Now is the time to do new development in .NET (both apps, components, and features added to VB6). You'll have the best experience and support path this way.
- Now is the time to think about a migration plan for your priority VB6 assets. If you move you should still do it gradually and incrementally.
- MS supports the VB6 runtime and hence your existing applications and components. The runtime shipped in Vista (supported through 2017) and will ship in Windows 2008 Server (supported through 2018). There is no urgency to abandon your existing VB6 apps. They will continue to run just fine, and MS is on the hook to fix breakers MS causes.
-The VB6 IDE goes into custom support April 2008. If you still want support for the IDE you / your company should consider purchasing a custom support agreement. The IDE will continue to run but you can't expect the same level of enhancements or bug fixing anymore.


To summarize, it's in situations where there is business need to enhance the app or use mainstream supported tools that you should strongly consider a migration. Migration should be done gradually and incrementally (using interop). It's ok to leave apps and components running on VB6 -- that's supported for 10 years. I expect to be supporting VB6 developers for years to come, and I welcome that opportunity.

BTW: our best VB6 & VB6 migration/interop content is here -- http://msdn.com/vbrun/

hth,

Paul