VB.NET Requires Tough Choices

Microsoft has made some radical changes to Visual Basic (VB) in the course of moving to the .NET Framework. Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) marks a new strategic position for VB, and while it offers significant benefits, the changes are big enough that managers should consider a slow transition to the new version of the language.

Although VB was previously the beginner’s entry to Windows programming and the language of choice for rapidly prototyping full applications, VB.NET is simply one choice among many for developing programs on Windows. Developers using VB.NET will have new considerations as they design applications, and the language details contain many differences from earlier versions. Fortunately, because VB.NET’s predecessor, VB Version 6.0, will be supported for years to come, managers can make the difficult transition to VB.NET based on their own schedules rather than Microsoft’s.

Need for an Overhaul

In recent years, all of Microsoft’s development languages, including VB, have grown increasingly complex and demanding, especially when used to build large enterprisewide projects. As new technologies were “bolted on” to the original languages, the resultant code became more and more complex, making it fragile, slow, and difficult to maintain —especially when compared to newer competitive platforms such as Java.