Re: Visual Basic to be discontinued in 2008??

In the food industry recipies don't become obsolete overnight because a
publisher prints a new recipe book. You don't have to throw away all of
your knives because the blades all of a sudden become rusty overnight.
You seem very excited that VB must constantly be discontined and
changed without backwards compatibility. But I guess that allows you
to sell more books.

The Grand Master


Tim Patrick wrote:
Ah, the old "quote his own writing" trick. Nice try. Too bad that quote isn't
from any of my books. It's from an opinion piece I wrote for Visual Studio
Magazine in its January 2005 issue.

If you had taken the time to read the entire article (or even quote from
the right source), you might have noticed how I was comparing Visual Basic's
single name change to a series of four name changes in the C language. In
the article, I emphasize how fantastic it is that Visual Basic, with .NET,
is finally an "advanced computer language" that is endowed with "ease and
power." I stated clearly that the new Visual Basic was "a giant step forward"
in technology. But perhaps you didn't get that far into the article.

I just have to laugh when people say that Microsoft has done Visual Basic
such a disservice by injecting it with .NET. Such statements completely ignore
the history of computer languages. Every computer language has its adherants
who won't hear of any changes being made. The introduction of C++ was seen
by some C programmers as the end of the programming world. *** Pick, the
brains behind the 4GL "PICK" language, was ruthlessly ridiculed for (among
other things) even minor changes introduced into the programming system he
designed. Users of System V and Berkeley versions of UNIX were constantly
at each other's throats. And don't get me started about WordBasic.

I understand that it is difficult to see a system you have enjoyed for so
long undergo significant changes. I have been a VB programmer since verison
2.0; we had a long and enjoyable history. But technology marches on, and
so must I. I am currently in the midst of a VB6 to VB2005 conversion project
for an enterprise application that contains about 150 separate applications
comprising around 600,000 lines of code. I'm having some issues with the
Upgrade Wizard that's built into VB2005. But I deal with it. I find ways
to get the code working. I use other tools when needed. I've even brought
out AWK, that fantastic text processing language from UNIX, to assist in
the conversion process. What I don't do is sit around and gripe about how
Microsoft has given me the shaft. Because frankly, they haven't. They've
given me a powerful new tool.

One of my favorite new features in .NET is owner-draw list boxes. Sure, I
could have done that before in VB6, but it would have taken 10 times as long
and a lot more code. Now I just do a few e.Graphics.DrawString() statements,
and I'm done. Piece of cake. Sure, there are a few features I miss. As a
keyboard-centric person, I really miss the ability to access control properties
using a Control+Shift+letter keyboard sequence (I think that was the sequence).
And I know it will be more difficult for some people to upgrade than it will
be for others. But if a programmer is worth their hourly rate, they will
buck up and do the work without the hissy fit. Nobody has to write computer
programs. There are hundreds of other jobs available in the world that anyone
can choose from. If someone can't enjoy programming, I recommend a career
in the food services business.

-----
Tim Patrick - www.timaki.com
Start-to-Finish Visual Basic 2005

Well Kids

Here is an passage from Tims book. It highlights the number one reason
not to bother learning Visual Basic.NET.... Because you will be
shagged by Microsoft when they next change the language or discontinue
it....

Tims Quote
***************
"Visual Basic didn't get a new name this time around. All Microsoft
did
was tack .NET onto the end of the name. That change simply didn't make
clear to the world that the language itself had changed...."
The Grand Master

Tim Patrick wrote:

Or perhaps try this:

"An friend insider (sic) told me that Vista is to be killed off
within 18 months. I guess this makes sence (sic) now that Steve
Ballmer is saying that Linux contains Microsoft technology. I'm
surprised they ever even included Windows XP in the first place."

I guess that my expectations are pretty high when someone uses the
moniker
"The Master" or "Master Programmer." I expect that "The Master" would
have
a basic understanding of the history of programming languages, an
understanding
of how development and marketing work within Microsoft, and at least
some
ability to judge what their "friend insiders" tell them. But perhaps
my expectations
are just too high.
NOTE: This post was written from the floor where I am rolling around
laughing uncontrollably.

-----
Tim Patrick - www.timaki.com
Start-to-Finish Visual Basic 2005
An friend insider told me that VB is to be killled off within 18
months. I guess this makes sence now that C# is here. I believe it
and am actualy surprised they ever even included it in VS 2003 in
the first place. Anyone else heard about this development?

The Master


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