VB6 , VB.Net or other versions

[Charlie Stallings]

i have used only vb6 but thinking about trying some other languages ...... my question is whats the difference ? i heard vb.net is free?

[RhinoBull]

Difference is huge to say the least but I strongly recommend to get into .Net world as soon as possible.
If you choose VB 2008 vs C# you will find familiar syntax and that's about it.
If you choose C# you won't be disappointed - it was designed imho to be a java killer.
VB/C# 2008 Express Edition is free btw so don't waste your time - go get it.

[si_the_geek]

VB6 came out way back in 1998, and is lacking many features - partly due to the fact that it was basically an extended version of the previous editions of VB, which themselves were to some degree based on other forms of Basic (such as QBasic, which was out of date when Windows 95 was released).

VB.Net was the replacement for VB6, so it does have quite a few similarities - and a large amount of extra features built in (such as menu icons, automatic positioning of controls when you resize a form, etc etc etc).

To enable those extra features (and several existing ones) to be done properly, rather than being tacked on in ways that were less than ideal, many things had to be re-thought. The biggest change is that things are now based much more around Classes, which could be a bit awkward to get used to if you haven't used them much in VB6 - but even if you haven't been aware of it, you have used classes in VB6 (forms are a special kind of class).

How long it would take to get used to .Net depends on the amount of experience you have (less is better), but it is worth it... programs are quicker to write, tend to have more features, and any programs you write can be used with the next version of Windows after 7 (the same may not apply to VB6 programs).

[RhinoBull]

If you're interested in more opinions try searching ("vb6 vs vb.net" or something like that) - there are lots of discussions.

[Charlie Stallings]

but if i download express is it limited? like is there certian features i wont be able to use or will i be able to use everything like i can in vb6?

[RhinoBull]

Of course Express Edition is limited but it's more than enough for you to study.
But you may buy full version if your budget permits.

[Shaggy Hiker]

The Express edition IS limited, but the limit is not so crippling as you might fear. It's certainly worth getting, because the price is right, and whatever you learn is valid in the higher, and more expensive, versions.

[JuggaloBrotha]

but if i download express is it limited? like is there certian features i wont be able to use or will i be able to use everything like i can in vb6?

VB 2008 Express, as limited as it is, can do circles around the most expensive edition of VS 6.

Personally, I would take an Express edition over anything vb6.

[Charlie Stallings]

so in other words everything i can do in vb6 i can do in express?

[si_the_geek]

Probably.

It can definitely do the kind of things you have posted about on this site.