First time or casual programming

Posted Sunday, March 23, 2008 12:33 PM by bill

"First time or casual programming" : that's apparently what VB is good for.  If you want a great combination of power and productivity that's what C# is good for......

well, at least that's how Microsoft tells it to us.

Microsoft, why do you treat VB so patronisingly ?

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Comments

# re: First time or casual programming

Monday, March 24, 2008 1:03 AM by Bob Eggles

I didn't take offense at this.  Visual Basic is easier for people who do not have a degree in Computer Science,and thus ideal for those who may want to give programming a try.

# re: First time or casual programming

Monday, March 24, 2008 3:44 AM by bill

hey Bob,

The two marketing slants are:

- Productivity that is ideal for first time or casual Windows programming.

- A great combination of power and productivity for the Windows developer.

The key is they say "casual" programming versus "Windows developer".  That sends the message that for business or production code, C# is the powerful one, and the one to choose.

The "B" in BASIC does stand for beginner's.  And if that's how Microsoft markets it, that's why so many leave it.  The number of posts of people moving to C# from VB.NET is incredible, whereas the number coming from C# to Vb.NET is as rare as hen's teeth.  Microsoft's continued marketeering of VB this way is slowly but surely killing it.

# re: First time or casual programming

Monday, March 24, 2008 10:48 AM by Alun Jones

Bill - what do _you_ view VB.NET's role as?

VB.NET and C#.NET share so many features, and so much functionality, and are in many cases translatable one to another, that you could just as easily say "VB.NET - for people who like to type more".

You've mentioned that you're fed up of seeing example code that's only available in C#, and I'm fed up of seeing example code that's only available in VB.NET.

Much like a right-wing politician who sees the media as a left-wing tool (swap "right" and "left" as appropriate), I think your perspective is showing only the perceived disadvantages, and not balancing them with the advantages that you take for granted.

# re: First time or casual programming

Monday, March 24, 2008 11:11 AM by bill

Hi Alun,

What sample code are you seeing in VB that's not in C# ?   I have seen anything in the last year where that has been the case, instead it has been heavily squewed towards C#.

As to the positioning of VB... that's the heart of the issue.  Microsoft positions it as for beginners and casual programmers FULL STOP !  And that artificial positioning then feeds the views inside Microsoft resulting in a patronising view that only beginners use VB.

# re: First time or casual programming

Monday, March 31, 2008 4:39 PM by Michael Giagnocavo

Because VB.NET doesn't have anonymous methods or lambda _statement blocks_? That little omission there is enough to banish any language, right? :)

# [Giagnocavo]Michael::Write() - The reason VB.NET is truly a second class citizen

Monday, March 31, 2008 5:06 PM by [Giagnocavo]Michael::Write() - The reason VB.NET is truly a second class citizen

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