It all boils down to one thing: Learning a new language.

In essence, learning to adapt Visual Basic 6.0 applications (a majority of
which are client server) to "upgrade" to VB.NET is the same as learning a
new language.

So, why bother with an unknown like VB.NET? (Rhetorical Question #1)

Why not learn another unknown like C#? (Rhetorical Question #2)

Or a known language like Java? (Rhetorical Question #3)

I have been programming Visual Basic since 1994, am an MCSD with a focus
on Visual Basic. I have 18+ years in the programming industry and have now
moved up to being a CIO in a start-up venture. If I am having to figure
out where my software-development company is going to go with this stuff...well,
that's bad. It leads to: What will I have to learn and is it profitable
for me to learn it (i.e. is it worth my valuable time)? What will I have
to force my existing staff to learn? AND what kind of people will I be hiring?


An additional, and I might add: very interesting, side effect is whether
I continue with the MCSD program. The answer at this moment is a reluctant
no. The reason: I will not pay for my employees to re-take the entire plethora
of exams (they will have to do it now on the own time and money), I will
not do so (not worth my time, it has absolutely no bearing on reality anymore).

Finally, the majority of application work that I find (especially in the
Dallas/Ft. Worth area) is Visual Basic 6.0 client/server or browser/server
applications. VB.NET does NOT address this. At all.

There! I vented. Just and FYI for you career minded folk out there. I
am a consultant and employer and I see no immediate or future need for VB.NET.
If Microsoft insists, in this huge paradigm shift, then it looks like a
golden opportunity for another company to produce a VB look-alike. Perhaps
a cross-platform VB look-alike...ah, well, I can always dream.

Steven Bell
CIO
Momentium Technologies
Dalls, TX