Reasons to Upgrade to VB.Net - What to tell my Boss

[DickChristoph]

Hi

I am interested in converting a Access 97 application to VB.Net (well okay
rewriting). This would be a VB.Net client with a SQL Server backend, as
opposed to my other alternative which would be rewriting this as an Access
XP application with a SQL Server backend.

I have worked enough in VB.Net at home to known that this would be a better
solution but this would be the first application for our company using
VB.Net (a largely AS/400 shop)

I am searching for some sort of white paper or non-technical executive
summary type articles to provide to my boss which would to explain:

A) What is .Net Generally (What is the overall strategy of MS with .Net)
B) Where do rich clients written with VB.Net fit into the .Net family
C) What are the advantages of converting applications to ,Net
D) What are the risks?

I am aware that using .Net generally involves much more than writing rich
clients in VB.Net but for now, I want to focus on this primarily.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can provide.

-Dick Christoph

 

[Dino Chiesa [Microsoft]]

Ahh, interesting questions.

What is .NET?
http://www.microsoft.com/net/basics/whatis.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/technologyinfo/overview/

Reasons to upgrade:
Why developers in general should upgrade
http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/technologyinfo/topten/default.aspx
why VB Devs should upgrade:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/productinfo/topten/upgrade.aspx

Where do Smart clients fit?
http://www.microsoft.com/net/products/client.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/net/products/devices.asp

As for "upgrading", in general there are two big questions:
1. should a dev team convert so that going forward, work is done in .NET
(eg, VB.NET)?
2. should existing, working products or systems be migrated to .NET?

These are two entirely different and independent questions. I'd say the
first is a simpler call. It makes lots of sense to move to .NET for future
work. The second question is trickier, because while there are upgrade
wizards in the tool, that can convert VB code to VB.NET, the cost of
converting can be significant (especially considering the fully extended
cost including test, verification, retraining, and so on). But the benefits
can also be signficant, in terms of better performance, a better developer
experience and more productivity, simpler deployment, better security, and
so on.

-Dino
Microsoft