Re: Killing VB softly with his song, Killing VB softly...with a song.............

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This topic is not and was not meant to be about which language per se but
about which syntax and which grammar has become the defacto standard for
most languages that are being used at this point in time to develop most
applications for the most significant endeavor in the history of mankind's
efforts to involve themselves with a computer science. That is of course the
Internet manifested in a form useable by humans we know as the web and the
syntax and grammar that which has been derived from C in this context.

Blame Thompson and Ritchie if you must but there's no denying that the
legacy of C [1] has become the legacy of the web and this legacy is best
expressed in its totality in the client and an overwhelming presence on the
server by Java and C# as well as other languages that are very C-like.

This contention is and has been continually proven by Software Magazine's
annual surveys. This year -- again as I recall -- the most often used
languages as cited by survey respondents are Java followed by C#. To be
honest this confuses me as the classifieds rarely ask for C# when seeking
..NET developers. The classifieds it seems are almost always seeking VB.NET
developers. Not to denigrate VB anymore than it seems but I believe this
phenomena to be a hold over from the past (and current) success of VB itself
and the monkey-see monkey-do behavioral model present in most management
processes more so than the understanding of which syntax and language offers
the most efficient and highest use of one's resources and one's willingness
and ability to adapt to change to the current paradigm.

Actually, if there would be a single person to look to in this regard of the
legacy itself it would have to be Brendan Eich the author of JavaScript [2]
whose decision to reuse the C syntax and grammar has changed software
development as we know it, as again, it is the phenomena of the web that has
become the deciding factor and the legacy of C is rapidily becoming
prevalent. I think Google is making this point perfectly clear [3].

So again, I note many languages do not fit this paradigm and many languages
will continue to be used and new languages will continue to be developed.
Ruby comes to mind as I find a need to learn this language for certain
aspirations I hold in the practice of architecture where I was formally
educated, trained, and where much of my thinking processes have been
influenced by an immersion into classical thought and philosophy.

Regardless, that does not change the fundamental premise of my contentious
postulation, that being, in the course of time the VB syntax and grammar [4]
will continue to be killed softly by this song.

It is interesting to note the wikipedia disclaimer for those recoding the
history of Visual Basic [3]. That there are contentious and biased points of
view we all hold is of no question none of which however change the facts. I
like VB myself but one day I had the "learn three for the price of one"
epiphany and realized I was compelled to think pragmatically and was
therefore compelled to adopt the legacy provided to us by men such as
Thompson,Ritchie and Eich.

That's all there is to it for me as a person who happens to have what some
may call a deep insight if you will as I am rarely incorrect in my
prognostications. People that know me over a period of time have told me for
years I would do much better in the stock market and financial management
because I have an uncanny ability to see a trend early in the curve and call
which horse will win the race. But alas, I am a stubborn fool.

It is only because I am also a maverick that I have avoided that pursuit in
favor of my current endeavors which compel me to say "sorry fellas" because
it really looks like the VB syntax and grammar has seen its heyday [5],
Microsoft's efforts to retain the loyalty of VB developers not withstanding,
the VB syntax and grammar is in the process of becoming relegated to the
annals of history to take its place as second fiddle in this symphany of the
web where I find myself lucky enough to have found a seat in the orchestra
which I credit to my willingness to learn, my predilection towards change,
and my ability to read the *** music which the conductor has made clear:
This symphany is to be played in the key of the legacy of C.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_programming_language
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javascript
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_programming_language
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_BASIC


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