Visual Basic

[combatking0]

My employer wants me to start learning Visual Basic. This will postpone my current attempt to learn C++, as I find it confusing to learn more than 1 language at the same time.

As far as I can tell, there's only one place to get the SDK (M$) and so I'll have a play with it, and see if it can make exe's.

[ferris]

Any way to convince him to let you use C# instead? IMO C# is absolutely wonderful. Even my last Gameboy prod was done with it.

You could argue it has every advantage Visual Basic does too, of course. Forms, .NET, etc.. may be worth a shot

[Jim]

VB.net or plain old VB? They're quite different!
Jim

[Raizor]

What Ferris said. You can do everything in C# that you can in VB.Net, just without all the verbosity. It will also be handy for learning C++ as the syntax is similar.

[efecto]

What Ferris and Raizor said.

Also:
- Most examples on the internet are C#
- Look at Job adds, way more C# then VB.Net (that's for personal profit)

Try to convince your Boss!

[combatking0]

I'd argue to my employer that C family languages are in greater demand in the work place, but for some reason they want to children here to learn Visual Basic. They haven't specified if it is the .NET version or not, so I will find out.

I'll see if it's just the choice of my boss, or if it is on the new national curriculum.

[combatking0]

They've chosen the .net variety for ease of use, but it was an internal decision. We're allowed to use almost any programming language, apart from ActionScript and JavaScript.

I'll try to talk them into using C++ or C# to teach the children skills which would be useful in a job later in life. If they wanted ease of use, I could push them towards Jim's PS2 YABASIC emulator for the 11/12 year olds, and they can graduate onto a compiled language as they get more confident.

[Raizor]

CK, is it a primary or secondary school?

[Shockwave]

Don't bother with c++, Vb.net is a good idea, once you know Vb.net you'll find it easy to transfer your skills to c#.net as they are basically the same (c# coders command higher salaries).  A .net developer with experience should earn around 30000 pounds a year.  C# developers with Microsoft certification and experience are highly sought after.  Once you know Vb.net you'll know c#.net pretty much by default so should find it an easy switch to make.  Speaking personally, getting on the Microsoft developer courses for .net is the best career decision I've made so far.

[combatking0]

It's a secondary school, age range 11-18. I'm not sure if the younger ones will be learning programming, but they should learn how to type individual capital letters using Shift instead of Caps Lock - but if that's how our head of department does it, that's how the kids have to learn it. But I digress.

Thanks for the recommendation for Vb.net - I'll switch over to learning that so I can support the teachers in their work with it.

It may explain why I've yet to make a career in programming, though I could do with a bit more experience. But if we can get a few kids started down the path to a great coding career, then our work is done.

[Shockwave]

It may explain why I've yet to make a career in programming, though I could do with a bit more experience. But if we can get a few kids started down the path to a great coding career, then our work is done.

I really like that about you CK, always considerate of other people and it's nice that you've got a job you like too - Just make sure that you get something out of this for yourself, your employer investing a few grand into your training if you're being asked to do something beyond your usual remit is the least you should expect.  You've shown initiative at work and developed applications for them that they'd have had to pay handsomely for if they'd gone to someone else.

If you lived in South Wales I'd be trying to get my employers to snap you up, your enthusiastic and investigative nature means that you'd quickly become a good asset as a general programmer in most IT departments.

[combatking0]

Thanks Nick, encouragement is something I've not had much of in Doncaster. The internet has opened my eyes and let me know that there are good people out there, I just need to look for them.

I'll learn Vb.net with enthusiasm K++

[combatking0]

We've settled on using an open-source SDK - Sharp Develop. It supports many languages, including C# and VB.net.

I've started to adapt my knowledge of Strings and Arrays into C#. Now all I need to do is learn how to integrate graphical functions and music playback, and I can make all kinds of cool programs.

[Raizor]

If you want to play around with OpenGL in C#, I can highly recommend  OpenTK (www.opentk.com). It's an OpenGL wrapper for C#. I've used it a few times and it's lovely.

[jace_stknights]

I've worked with Vb for years.(But I must admit I never touch it since about 5 years.) It is simple to learn and to use. The Microsoft Vb.net dev kit are great and all are fully documented.
As others said, all .net languages are quite near nowadays: even Basic is object oriented! So if you are planning to use it, it will be really easy to move after into C# using the .Net library.
And don't forget that Microsoft offers their devkit in "express" version for FREE.  Enough to play hard with.

[combatking0]

I'll be trialling it with a small group in a few weeks.

Their challenge will be to make a simple calculator program.

[Hotshot]

I used to do Visual Basic way back in 90`s and it was good fun making Calculate, Database,  Drawing program, Traffic light program, Football Score, Menu and so on.

The VB.net is so different now.......I do know some about C#