VB Upgrade Tour
Getting ready to head over to Dallas to hang out in The VB Upgrade Tour presentation. Although I’m not needing (and haven’t been needing for the past 3+ years) to upgrade from VB 6.0 to .NET, it is a topic that comes up often with user group members and various other events. Most people already know my opinion on the particular subject of people not willing to upgrade, so I’ll not dwell on that. However, I think that events like this will help to get some people to embrace the move to .NET, especially given all of the improvements with VB 8.0. It is interesting to read between the lines of the event registration description:
Visual Basic 6.0 developers have had a great tool - but it’s time to learn how to use those Visual Basic skills with the next generation of products. Visual Basic .NET/2005 can help to make you more productive at the development that you do every day…
Now, let me highlight a few sections.
Visual Basic 6.0 developers have had a great tool - but it’s time to learn how to use those Visual Basic skills with the next generation of products. Visual Basic .NET/2005 can help to make you more productive at the development that you do every day…
Yes, VB 6.0 was a great tool for it’s day. Unfortunately, VB 7.x lost some of the “tools” people had come to expect. Because of this, people refused to look at what other benefits could be gained by moving to what was included and instead focused on the negatives. VB 8.0 strives to correct those deficiencies and, so far, looks to be doing so quite nicely.
“It’s time” is also very appropriate because, in all honesty, if the move isn’t made soon, those skills will begin to collect dust and the longer the wait, the more difficult it will be to move. The time is NOW!
“Next generation of products” does not just focus on the development tools. It includes the upcoming releases of SQL Server, Windows Vista and many other technology leaps that have happened and continue to happen since 1998.
“More productive” is the key with VB 8.0. I hesitate to use that label with VB 7.x because there were features “missing” in action. However, VB 8.0 brings them back and, because of this, that label can now be truly be applied. In addition to the return of those “missing” features, VB 8.0 brings with it many improvements in development methodologies that previously did not exist… so VB 8.0 is truly and upgrade in every sense of the word.
Anyway, got to head that direction so I’ll post additional comments on the event later tonight (or tomorrow).