Best way for a quasi-noob to get started?

[jimbo1]

Hello:

I am a network guy by trade, and I've been stumbling lately onto things that would be really nifty to have a nice little app to take care of. Typically what I've done is make a .vbs script, and I've even made small Access applications that perform some small functions based on user input. Neither of these methods are ideal, so I want to start looking into making standalone apps.

I can't afford Visual Studio .NET right now, and since I mainly want to dabble, mess stuff up, and figure out how to fix it - I can't justify spending that much money.

On the other hand VB .NET is relatively affordable, and would be good since I already have a basic grasp of some vb. But I don't know if I should go for the C# or C++ programs, because I don't know the goods and bads of the three compared.

If I got VB .NET, would I be able to create small apps (and eventually some larger apps) and distribute them to network users via an .exe or something? I guess I just don't know where to begin, and don't want to spend money on something only to find out that it doesn't do what I had hoped.

Any input would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks!

-jim

[Cander]

Easy fix. Just download the .NET framework SDK form Microsoft. It comes with the C# and VB compilers and is free. You can code in notepad(Not as hard as you may think)

also you can get a fairly decent free editor here

http://www.icsharpcode.net

[jimbo1]

Cander,

Thanks for your reply. It's nice to know that someone out there is willing to "help a brotha out".

I was expecting at least a few RTFM's from the people here - I didn't even get that!

I think I'll go buy vb.net tomorrow and start messing around with it. I'm anxious to get started, I just hope it's the right path for me to get started on.

Thanks again .

-jim

[Pc_Madness]

VB is a good start, and if you get into it, you can move up to the C family, theres a few good freeware editors around, so u can save yourself some bucks that way.

[jimbo1]

Pc_M,

Thanks for the reply - I went to Barnes & Noble today and spent a lot of time going through a VB .NET Core Ref guide, and a C# Core Ref guide, and found that C# is much closer to the syntax of PHP, which I've used extensively.

I ended up buying the C# book, which comes with a 60-day trial of Visual Studio, so I figure I can get to know C#, while still being able to dabble with the VB stuff. Then I can more accurately choose my direction .

/me has a lot of reading to do :-)

-jim

[Muddy]

Karl Moores's book is great (see banner at top of this page). Should get you started quickly.

Id definitly go .net if I were you ... VB6 will be an existing app maintenance skill in the not so distant future ..

[jimbo1]

Thanks muddy - just ordered from Amazon. I'm definitely going the .NET route, I'm just undeciced about whether to pursue C# or VB - or even C++.



-jim

[Joacim Andersson]

Sorry but I just couldn't let this opportunity of advertising my own product pass me by

You can use Source Edit together with the .Net framework SDK. Source Edit has syntax highlighters for both C# as well as VB.Net and you can easily create a custom tool to compile your source code directly from the IDE.

Cheers,

[jimbo1]

I should have read the details on the book more closely - the VS.NET demo came on a DVD. I don't have a DVD drive at home . So I had to boot up my work laptop which does have a DVD drive, and install it across my home LAN. S-L-O-W...

Joacim,

Thanks for the info on your app, it looks slick. I'm used to using PHPEdit when I code php, so the syntax highlighting in your editor will most definitely make things a little smoother for me.

-jim