VB.Net VS VC++

[dee-u]

Which do you think is more preferable to learn? Pls. support your answer.

[Pc_Madness]

.Net sucks, but VB.NET is easier to learn than C++. Depends what your trying to do and how much experience you have.

Until .Net dependencies are built into the OS and isn't incredibly slow, C++ or VB6 will be weapon of choice.

[NoteMe]

Which do you think is more preferable to learn? Pls. support your answer.

Carrot or horse

[dee-u]

I just want to put some weight into my decision, I am trying to learn VB.Net and I would like to dig deeper if my decision is correct, I have heard VC++ is a powerful language, I have some bits of knowledge in C++ and C but I have focused in VB since being introduced to it. In the future wouldnt knowledge in VB.Net useful? Its being popularized by M$ and somehow in our country a programmer is "advance" if he knows .Net, its a common qualification in the positions here in the Philippines but there are also VC++ qualification. I'm afraid I dont have quite time to learn them both at the same time.

[Pc_Madness]

VB.NET will be easier to learn and it will probably end up being the language everyone wants to use, but C++ is alittle more powerful, and considered 'pro'. As I said it depends on what your trying to do, .Net for Applications while more powerful stuff, games, graphics would be best for C++. If you've already started learning VB.NET you'll find the syntax for C++ alot harder. (damn memory management *GRUMBLE*)

[mar_zim]

Carrot or horse

no.no..no..no

carrot don't eat grass.

seriously c++ rocks..but when i try to learn c++ i feel that i shorten my life.

[NoteMe]

Well, when I get Cander and Nebuloms code synced I will add this as a standard commentary.

Note: "It is not about what language is the best. The task is to find the tool that does the job. Every language has its purpose. And some languages fits for some purposes better then others. Its all about finding the right tool for the job."

[wossname]

Learn the language that suits you, if spend a soul destroying few months learning a language you don't like then you will never reach your full potential in that language. You could easily become much better VB.Net coder than a C++ coder.

Careful you don't end up like PC_M though, all bitter and twisted about things

C++ is the most powerful language around, no disputing that, but that doesn't mean VB.net is bad. I do not see how anyone that has seriously used any of the .NET languages can sincerely defend VB6 with a straight face.

I have years of experience with both VB6 and .NET and it is overwhelmingly clear that VB6 is so obsolete its not even funny. There are only 2 contenders for Windows programming, C++ (in its many guises, please note that VC++6 is still alive and kicking and will be for some time) and .Net (not J# though because that is just morally wrong ).

[dee-u]

As I have said I have some knowledge of C++, funny because it was the Introductory language to us when I entered college, at that time I was a topnotch C programmer (no kidding, because we were a bunch of noobs that's why) so perhaps I'm thinking I could build on that knowledge and get my full potential in that language? But what I liked with VB6.0 was that it was window-based, in C it was kinda hard designing entry forms though I liked it and didnt had any complains on its syntax and intricacies...

Its only now that I have known its the Most Powerful Language...

[penagate]

Definitely VB.NET is easier to learn than VC++. It takes me about an hour to do something in VC++ that I can do in 5 minutes in VB, although I must admit I know relatively little C++.

Also, C++ isn't the most powerful language, ASM is, but that's different.

I do not see how anyone that has seriously used any of the .NET languages can sincerely defend VB6 with a straight face.

Sure, VB.NET has a lot more language features than 6, but the fact remains that Win XP is a Win32 OS. When Longhorn and its .NET architecture comes out, then I'll switch to VB.NET.

[NoteMe]

Also, C++ isn't the most powerful language, ASM is, but that's different.

It depends on how you look at it. A good C++ programmer will always write faster code then an novice ASM programmer.


ØØ

[penagate]

ASM is more powerful. The novice ASM programmer can do more than the C++ programmer, but who does it* faster is a different matter.

* something they can both do

[Mike Stefanik]

If you're going to go with .NET, actually I'd recommend taking a look at C#.NET if for no other reason that its the language that Microsoft is actually developing with themselves. In other words, it's the language they'll spend the most time improving and optimizing because it's the dog food they're actually eating, as opposed to what they've dishing out there for others to chew on. Most of the benefits of Visual Basic -- simple, easy to use and understand, ideal for hobbiest programmers, etc. -- went out the door with .NET so if you're going to bite the bullet and go with the Microsoft flow, go the whole way. In for a pence, in for a pound, IMO.

[dee-u]

So C# is preferable over VB.net?

[Mike Stefanik]

Personally, if I were starting a completely new product I'd use C#. The only justification I can see using VB.NET is if you have a large chunk of VB code and it makes more sense (in terms of time, resources, etc.) to convert it over rather than rewrite it.

From my perspective, the appeal of Visual Basic had to do with it's "accessibility" to folks who weren't professional, full-time developers. It opened up the world of Windows programming to hobbiests, professionals who weren't programmers (scientists, businessmen, etc.) and so on. However, with VB.NET all Microsoft really did was make the learning curve impossibly steep for those folks. Try explaining the fundamentals of object oriented programming to a non-programmer. Heck, try explaining to them something simple, like what a delegate is and how they're used. All you're going to get back is this blank, confused stare.

VB.NET took programming out of the hands of the casual coder and back into the ivory tower inhabited by professional developers. And if you're a professional developer, C# offers a cleaner syntax than VB.NET (in my opinion, of course).

[penagate]

I agree with you Mike. I've seen some C# code and it looks very neat, better than VB or C++. When I eventually go .NET I will use C#. I received a copy of the Express Edition beta with a magazine I subscribe to, the other day, so I will start there and then probably get VS 2005 when it comes out

From what I've seen C# looks sort of like VB turned into C++, or maybe a bit the other way round. Whichever, it looks like the best of both languages.