Is it time to change from vb to VB.Net?

[BadOmen]

I know the obvious answer here on the VB.Net...

I bought for a couple of years ago Visual Studio 6.0 Pro and I wonder what I
have to gain in getting me the .Net version?

I am rather new to VB 6 so learning VB 6 or VB.net does not mater...

Is it easier or harder to learn VB.Net? I have made some simple apps with C
Borland for like MANY years ago and I have made a Interne community using
PHP script plus a web shopping cart with JavaScript some years ago. Is PHP,
JavaScript more like VB.Net then it is VB 6?

I have just made my first VB app (not counting the one I did when VB 3 was
new...) with it I can remote WinAmp5, WMP9, mouse and some kbkeys with an IR
Remote using WinLirc. would it be hard to convert the code to VB.Net and
what can i gain in doing it?

I am thinking of doing a simple chat program using winSock, just to learn
how it works... What would make me use VB.Net instead of just VB 6?

What is the big different betwin VB.Net and VB 6?

Yours, Jonas

 

[SStory]

hmm...

Well like everything else there is good and bad...

I bought for a couple of years ago Visual Studio 6.0 Pro and I wonder what I
have to gain in getting me the .Net version?

*4000 prewritten/pretested classes to work with
*easy tcpip and network programming through this classes; chat programs are
a breeze in .NET (check out Wrox VB.NET Professional book--it has a
sample--you can download the code for it no matter what-from their site--but
the book is pretty good too)
*auto code indention--formating
and much more than I care to mention.
*uses new windows installer setup
*can do web stuff, pocket pc stuff, and much more
*syntax error highlighting
*setup is tons better than vb6

If you don't know much about VB already, you may be better off. You won't
have to unlearn much in that case.
You will need to pick up object oriented concepts if you don't know them, in
order to maximize it.

Cons
=====
* code is in intermediate language (is a pro in that it is compiled JIT to
the machine using) (is a con in that anyone can easily decompile it with
ildasm.exe) There are programs to help prevent this but they are rather
costly--there is also a limited free version that comes with visual studio
2003.
* no edit and continue without recompiling is available for vb.net
2003--will come in the 2004 version.
* 23 mb runtime must be installed on all machines that use the program (but
this will become part of windows anyway
* ADO.NET is more complicated to work with databases if you are used to ADO
or before but has it's place. You can still use ADO but at a penality.

Lots more to say but this is an idea....

HTH,

Shane

 

[BadOmen]

hmm...

Well like everything else there is good and bad...
what
*4000 prewritten/pretested classes to work with

How many is there in VB 6? I don't know how much 4000 is...

*easy tcpip and network programming through this classes; chat programs are
a breeze in .NET (check out Wrox VB.NET Professional book--it has a
sample--you can download the code for it no matter what-from their site--but
the book is pretty good too)
*auto code indention--formating
and much more than I care to mention.
*uses new windows installer setup
*can do web stuff, pocket pc stuff, and much more

Can I program Symbian OS as in some Mobile phones?

*syntax error highlighting
*setup is tons better than vb6

If you don't know much about VB already, you may be better off. You won't
have to unlearn much in that case.
You will need to pick up object oriented concepts if you don't know them, in
order to maximize it.

Cons
=====
* code is in intermediate language (is a pro in that it is compiled JIT to
the machine using) (is a con in that anyone can easily decompile it with
ildasm.exe) There are programs to help prevent this but they are rather
costly--there is also a limited free version that comes with visual studio
2003.

So people can decompile my exe or dll files with ildasm.exe, did I
understand you correct?

* no edit and continue without recompiling is available for vb.net
2003--will come in the 2004 version.

What does that mean? remember I am a newbe...

* 23 mb runtime must be installed on all machines that use the program (but
this will become part of windows anyway

In an Server Pack to Win XP or in the Win 64bit edition or in some other?

 

[SStory]

There are none in VB6, you instead use the vb runtime or the windows system
API. .NET was made to remove you from platform dependence for one thing.
Most everything you want to do is in a class although admitedly there are
still somethings at times like getting icons associated with files, that
require system calls.

How many is there in VB 6? I don't know how much 4000 is...

Can I program Symbian OS as in some Mobile phones?

Don't know haven't done mobile phone programming yet. But does support WHTML
(or whatever that mobile version of html is) for mobile phones so I would
guess yes.

So people can decompile my exe or dll files with ildasm.exe, did I
understand you correct?

Yes they can. Easily! And you must use a piece of software of some sort
that will mangle the names or rename them to make it confusing and difficult
to do. There are dotfuscator (a free limited version comes with .net 2003),
and many others for this. but it is an issue we didn't have in version 6.0.

The thing is MS is going to .NET so there isn't a lot of choice. You can
vb6 for a while but eventually .NET is the future. the next version is due
this year and will correct some things that are missing.

What does that mean? remember I am a newbe...

in vb 6 you could edit your code while debugging and many time continue
execution. In vb.net you must either ignore your changes or recompile
before continuing.

In an Server Pack to Win XP or in the Win 64bit edition or in some other?

not sure when or where or how but yea for sure I would say the 64 bit will
come with it. There will be service packs including it for sure also.
it is a 23 mb runtime the file to install it is called dotnetfx.exe..
Just run that once on all client machines and forget it.

The runtime has versions 1.0 and 1.1.
Be sure to get the right version of dotnetfx.exe for the version you are
using.

Shane

 

[BadOmen]

Thanx for your grate answers but if it's ok, I have some more

Is not a program using API calls faster than one using a class?
If so does it not mean that VB.Net will run slower, using a lot of classes
than my VB 6 app that is using API?

I have looked on the internet and it is mention Visual Studio.Net Architect
are there different types of .Net ??

which one am I to by ?

 

[SStory]

You will need to research on microsoft site for the different versions.
If just for you and you want to do serious development probably professional
is enough.
If for a company maybe enterprise or architect. You need to read on that.

..net apps are slower on the first time they run because they must JIT
(compile just intime)

but afterwards they seem to be fine....

Graphics seemed better to me using API in some ways but there is always
directx for serious people.
And the graphics in .net allows for easily doing what once was harder to do
with the API.

HTH,

Shane

 

[Cor]

Hi BadOmen,

If you not are doing the painting to the screen (not using api's), your
writing to the disc, etc. etc. yourself.

It depends always from the logic from the ones who made the code in between
how fast your your program is.

And with complex things as Windows, the route will be for you and me mostly
be unpredictable.

Just my thoughts,

There are at the moment 2 net frameworks 1.0 and 1.1

Cor

 

[BadOmen]

Yes it helped but...

You will need to research on microsoft site for the different versions.
If just for you and you want to do serious development probably professional
is enough.
If for a company maybe enterprise or architect. You need to read on that.

.net apps are slower on the first time they run because they must JIT
(compile just intime)

Compile just in time, way have they made it so on .net? Doesn't that make it
just worth then the original VB6?
What is to gain with that???
And by first time, what do you really mean? the first time I start the
program or the first time I do an action in the program.
like I start the app. and the first time I press a button the code will be
running slow because it has to compile but the next time i press it, it will
go fast because it's already compiled?

It feels like my brain has gone on vacation some where and left me behind

 

[BadOmen]

Thanx a lot!

You have bean of grate help to me

Yours, Jonas

 

[SStory]

Hey,

Glad to help.....

Just wish someone could help me solve some of the issues I told you about.


take care,

Shane