C++

Ok, I've got C++, what can I actually do? It doesn't look like VB :rolleyes:.

Errr.... well.... you can use pointers for one thing.

You can use inline asm (cool...), pointers (as Harry said), speed, macros, proper class inheritance.

And then some.

References, Overloading, Polymorphism ... Oooh, there's also a minimise button.

Dont for get the Class View, Resource View 'AND' File View.

Now thats what i call um, lots of Views.

I think your question should be "What can't I do?". With C++, you can do almost anything.

Yes you can do almost everything in C++ but that isn't as easy as it sounds. In VB everything is served on a plate but in C++ you have to go a little deeper , to learn how windows works(messages,processes,threads,etc.). It is more powerful than VB but also much more difficult to learn.

I think choice of language depends on the balance between speed/size and implementation time. C++ falls nicely in the middle of short implementation (VB), and fast/small (asm).

If you're a working dev. then language choice is usually out of your hands and you have to 'accept' (read - put up with) the clients choice of dev tools.

Here at DMR Canada the only projects that I'm aware of that use C++ are military. Especially since VB5 & 6 where you can effeciently write COM components and Web apps.

Time and budget is always the clients concern. VB gets it done quickly and easily and with 900+ Mhz machines out there now and much faster to come they really don't care that much about VB being slightly slower on most things.

Not when slower means a 1 or 2 sec. diff in overall exec. time.

Sad but true.

Personally I think Java is the best choice these days - it has only one glaring fault - interpreted. But it goes anywhere, and does everything without pointers. But, it's still not perfect.

How do you define powerful anyway? In my experience powerful means - get the job done quick and easy with the least amount of bugs, frustration and lines of code.

C++ is fast and beautiful but VB is still much easier to use. The learning curve is near null and everyone's using it so IT resources for it are abundant.

Still C++ (or C) windows programming without MFC or whatever will help you learn the guts of Windows programming and how Windows works internally far more than most other dev languages.

Anyway, that's how I see it at this time.