Heard that from MSoft recently, Linux has begun to develop a JIT Complier for the .NET Platform Intermediate Language (IL)

In other words, apps that you write with .NET languages are complied to only IL and they are then read and complied with the JIT Compiler. These JIT Compilers are provided by the Different OS platform vendors. Therefore, you can now write VB.Net, C++, C# apps that can run on Linux. (If Linux kept up to their promise and develop JIT Compiler successfully)

So hopefully , your typical Window Apps can run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Take that, Java !

I have been studying the .Net recently and I must say its amazing. Actually, the greatest transformation is the maturation of VB into a true OOP Language. That is what most advanced VB developers have been asking for and they got it. Previously. VB has lost out to its other OOP brethren because (altho VB is supposed to have some OOP capabilities) its OOP tools are not very intuitive and it doesnt support real application implementation. You can have interface implementation with the IMPLEMENTS keyword and you can (more or less) have application interface with the DELEGATION and CONTAINMENT methods but its not good enough. Now with .Net, you can actually use the INHERITS keyword and have real true-blue application implementation and you can also have visual implementation which means you can create many many forms (say many Dialog Box forms) by just creating one copy of the Dialog Box Form (Parent Class or Super Class) and have all the other Dialog Box Forms visually inheriting from the Parent Super form class. Thats right...Finallly Forms are Real Classes Now !!

I know a lot of old codes will break and I am just as frustrated as the next developer. I have been developing and written tons of apps since VB5 and all those codes will break, no matter how good the .NET upgrading wizard is. The wizard may be able to move the codes effectively (I doubt efficiently) but it cant change the mindset of VB developers worldwide.

However, I looked at it from a more positive note tho, in the past, VB Developers have always been looked upon as smaller brothers to the C++ counterparts and a joke compared to JAVA. Some even said VB are actually wrappers around C/C++. The main reason being the difference in its OOP capabilities and tools. Now VB has matured and MS is out FULL-TIME to claim back the developement environment (right from the user to the enterprise level) from SUN's JAVA where it has lost out. (MS says it never really push its developement tools before and therefore lost out to SUN...I dunno abt that and who to believe )

I have explored tons of forums like these around and I must say I agree with MS view that altho there are many many VB developers around in the world...only half of them understand and knows how to use its OO tools. The rest of the developers seemed content to write VB apps in the procedural way and let me tell you...OO way of developing provides so much code reuse and maintainablity. Last time before OO, I would kill any body who told me to change my app because of some damned policy changes in the company...NOW, I can roll out new upgrades in half the time and companies are so impressed they pay me more. HEHEHE...I have learnt to use classes instead of modules and understood COM and what its all about.

Yep...altho .NET framework is slightly different from COM. Some say COM is "dead" when .NET is out. I say that the concept and architecture of OOP is still there and thats learning to create and use objects.

For all those VB developers (like me) out there who are always looked down upon and told to GET A LIFE and LEARN A NEW PROGRAMMMING LANGUAGE...I says its time to roll up your sleeves, learn the new VB.NET and kick some OOP ASS !!!