The future of vb6

[beakman]

With .Net release I wonder, what will be the future of vb6 in the near future? Will it be dead as in RIP(rest in peace)?

Share your thoughts thanks...

[WizBang]

I doubt vb will be dead anytime soon, since .net can be decompiled rather easily, from what I've read. Still, there are alternatives, and being that vb isn't all that fast, I suspect competition will either force m$ to update it, come up with something more suitable for commercial applications, or drop the ball. Far be it for them to sit idle while some smaller company with a better product begins turning a profit. However, since they don't like competition, perhaps this is keeping them from making significant enhencements?

[George1111]

VB Dot net has now been released for how long ?

2-3 years at least

There is also a new Dot.Net version being released soon (Whidbey or VB 2005)

They are still getting it right I would say.

Certainly will be the language of the future but be very wary about migrating to it - not as easy as you may think.

It may as well be another completely different language with most syntax either changed, rearranged or just generally made different.

I would say that the people responsible for VB.Net never wrote a single line of code in VB6 - probably came from C++, totally oblivious to what VB6 is - why otherwise would they just blatantly bugger up sensible working VB6 syntax just for the sake of change? (or so it seems).

YOU ARE HAVING TO LEARN A BRAND NEW LANGUAGE - IT MAY AS WELL BE CALLED VB FOR C PROGRAMMERS - IT IS NOT VB AS WE KNOW IT.

But the good news is that it is great for Web Type projects.

As for ADO.Net - do you realise it all works with XML?

Do you know what that means? Easy to get data in and out of Databases but just don't mind the network traffic XML creates. (like multiply the data traffic by 300 - 500 %)

And Web Services - wow - you can now get stuff out of foreign databases which are web service enabled.

I have a case where a data export used to take about 1-2 minutes using native code out of a Unix File system. We have upgrded this to work using Web Services for extracting the exact same data - it now takes 35 minutes - NOW ISN'T THAT PROGRESS - Thanks to fantasic Web Services and the DOT Net approach to data processing.

Step somewhere, but not in the right direction for me at this stage - suggest we all get on with our reliable VB6 and wait until they get it right. (Which they definitely will - just when?)

By the way - you can purchase VB.Net 2003 for about US$95 and VB6 for about US$700 - huh? Yes you read right - VB6 is 6 -7 times more expensive than VB.NET.

I wonder why ????

[Cimperiali]

Now, going to move this to a General Discussion board, but leaving a
link in Vb6 forum as I think many could find this interesting.


[...]By the way - you can purchase VB.Net 2003 for about US$95 and VB6 for about US$700 - huh? Yes you read right - VB6 is 6 -7 times more expensive than VB.NET.
I wonder why ????
Cause Microsoft is trying to make the DotNet spreading around. This is why the
framework is free, and you could use other kind of ide - thus paing even less of
95$...

I think Vb 6 is going to die - but really really slowly. Somehow last servicepack
for Xp seems to go in the direction of a faster death (Rpc and Dcom refrained
a lot...)

[beakman]

Thanks for the information guys it really helps a lot. I guess all the efforts that I pour on learning vb6 was just a waste of time. Tsk tsk tsk well in the world of programming i guess change is the constant thing. On the other hand C++ stood the test of time. I think it's the only language that never experience the feeling of being aborted by most developers.

On the other hand c++ in a database development is h.e.l.l. I mean imagine those time frame that are demanded by most of your clients. Compared to vb it may not be as fast as the c++ in terms of speed but it does the job on time.

Now with vb.net or c# as an option new things to learn and new books to buy. Plus MS Sql yukon will be release with the same concept with .Net you know a completly new environment. Hence, if we ignore changes and stick to stuff like vb6 and MS Sql 2000 chances are we became like those old time programmer wherein they use those old clipper, pascal, turbo c/c++,foxpro dos base programming languages.

Whenever I look at them I pitty them. It seems like they are stuck in a some kind a quick sand. And now the spirit that hypnotize them to ignor change is hunting me. You know its like there's this small voice telling me .Net sucks all the basic features you need to develop exist in vb6 and ms sql server Bill Gates just wan't to be the first trillionare man in the whole world. But just like the Gollum there's this other side telling me just buy pirated cds it only cost P100($1=P56) no big deal then lurk your way to internet for information and tutorials. Oh well me and my nerdy imagination. :D

Since vb6 seems to be infected by cancer you know wherein it's on the 3-4 stage and it only takes time for language to be dead. I was wondering what is you best pick vc#, vb.net, vc++ or java? The safest language to learn.

Thanks.

[Octavo]

Well, this certainly is an interesting post...

I too think that VB6 will die a slow death... however I think that like COBOL, it will still be around for years to come, with plenty of legacy systems that will require maintenance...

In the mean time, if you're not keen on being an "old-timer" stuck maintaining old and decaying systems then obviously you need to start thinking NOW about learning a new language. Personally I think that VB.NET is a waste of time. It tries too hard to be like C and still maintain the VB simplicity. IMHO, if you want to switch to a new language, C# is the way to go. It's not all that difficult to learn (I'm a true VB guy, never touched C or C++ in my life and I've found C# not too bad to learn) and it is WAY powerful and pretty simple when it comes to inheritance and implementation... just don't get confused by all the abstract, virtual, protected, internal blah blah keywords... plus if it does die, you've still got a fairly good grounding of C-type syntax and you can take a stab at switching to C or C++

Well that's what I think anyways.... comments?

[SuperWeakGiant]

I argee with 0ctavo,
You have to know that vb is still important becauSe a lot of applications still be make used vb.
One day vb may die out but progreming langage like vb is great. although i progem in C/C++, i find it hard to impliment anyways.
See my poitn ? i am true.


~~superweakguiant

[Bowwow]

Where did you get that information from ? More sources would ******** things better. ;)