How long to get 'good' at VB?

[TheRobster]

I've been learning VB for a few weeks now and think I'm getting a handle on the basics, but I want to know how long it takes to get 'good', or at least 'competent' at programming VB.Net.

I know this is a difficult question, and that people learn at different speeds, so maybe I should be asking how long it was for you lot on here before you felt you knew what you were doing with VB?

As a side note, if I dedicate, say, 20 hours a week to learning, should I be competent at VB in, say, 3 months? I ask because I am learning VB so I can carry out some work at university and I need to learn it ASAP. I also want an idea of how much of my time I need to dedicate to learning this thing!

Again, I appreciate this is not an easy question to answer, so just an opinion or your thoughts on this subject would be appreciated.

Thanks
-Rob

[Wokawidget]

OK. Hmmmm...so you're learning ASP.NET.
Are you learning VB.NET also?
Do you know any VB6?
Do you know any other languages?
Do you know anything about app deisgn?

These are the things that will overall dictate your learning speed, obviously coupled with many hours of studying.

After 3 months I very much doubt you would be anywhere close to being able to get a job in it, although that wasn't your question.
It really depends on what you want to do.
I have been doing VB6 for exactly 4 years now. It took me about a year to get upto a level where I could get a job, but 2 years before I could get a job that paid well.
I am currently learning both VB.NET and ASP.NET as we speak.
I have been doing it for about a week now, which consists of about 2-3hrs a day.
It seems pretty straight forward, but most of the basics are the same as VB6, so I don't have to learn all the little things, which you would have to do if you were learning from scratch.
I would say that in 3 months time I would be able to create decent web sites and web services.
I can already create web sites with DB authentication login, and that's only after a day of learning.
I would say in a few months you would have a grasp of the basics and you would be able to crate simple web pages and maybe even attach a DB to your site.

Hope that helps.

Woof

[TheRobster]

I'm actually learning VB.NET 2003 (Ignore the ASAP bit, it's an acronym for 'As Soon As Possible. )

The only real programming experience I have is with older versions of BASIC, firstly on the old Commodore 64 and then on the Commodore Amiga 500 using AMOS. So I haven't much experience using OOP, just the old linear type of programming that was available on the old 8-bit and 16-bit computers.

I actually know what it is I need to do - it's learning how to make the computer do it that's the problem. I think that might make my task a little easier - I don't need to know enough about VB.NET to get a job as a programmer, just enough to do the tasks I need to do for uni.

[Libero]

I think, if you think as this: "i hope i will learn vb in a quite short time." Then i think you soon will loose your inspiration to programming. I have programmed for about 3-4 years now, and the only way for me to learn was that it is soo damn funny to do it. I mean, if you only got time and interest in programming, then you will get a grasp on it quite fast ( the basic ).

Interest will result in a good programmer... Good luck!!

[Wokawidget]

...or being paid **** loads of cash

Woof

[SeanGrebey]

Your lack of programming experience will be the thing that slows you the most. Once you become competent in one programming languages, it becomes much easier to learn another, especially if you move the right way up the curve (e.g. modern languages do alot more for you than older style languages....I think going from VB 6 into, say C, would be an absolute nightmare). For VB 6, I picked up a book, and went out a month later and got a job and felt competent. Not "Good," but good enough to do the job. Same for VB.NET and C#. Once you get that solid foundation of how to program, I think everything else is help files, internet forums, and google.