Advice Wanted

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott Davis
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Scott Davis

I'm in a situation in which my company is offering to train me to help
maintain/enhance a windows application that's a database frontend.
The app was written in VB.net.

I'm new to programing, so I'm taking C++ just as a starting point, and
I'm planning on taking a .Net framework fundamentals class next and
then jump into the .Net programming. The problem is that I keep
hearing how C# is much better than VB.Net, how C# developers make more
money, etc. I apologize if this subject has been beaten to death
already, but I basically want to know 1. Why is C# better than
VB.net? 2. I know that an application can be developed in multiple
languages (CRL), but is this practical for a small app with only two
fulltime developers? 3. If I learn C#, will there be enough overlap
for me to support the existing VB.Net code?

Many thanks for your insights!
 
<< 1. Why is C# better than
VB.net? >> It's not. I prefer C# but there's no way that I can say it's
Click to expand...
better than VB.NET. The honest truth is that the languages are almost
identical these days. However, VB.NET turns strict type checking off by
default, and if that happens, VB.NET app run slower. That can easily be
alleviated by turning Option Strict On. Other than that, C# allows you to
run unsafe code. Unless you are deep into interop, this may or may not be
an issue. Either way, you can mix languages (I do all the time) and get
where you need to be.


<<know2. I know that an application can be developed in multiple
languages (CRL), but is this practical for a small app with only two
fulltime developers? >> If you have one really talented C#, Java, C++
Click to expand...
programmer and one talented VB6 programmer, Absolutely. Truth be told, .Net
developers should learn them both. Learning .NET is the challenge, not a
language. A Top Notch VB.NET developer can learn C# in a few weeks. A top
notch VB6 programmer would need a few months to learn VB.NET

<<3. If I learn C#, will there be enough overlap
for me to support the existing VB.Net code?
Click to expand...
make a component library out of it, and then just add a reference to it in
your other langauge project.

Don't worry AT ALL ABOUT VB.NET vs C#. Learn .NET and everything else will
fall in place. If you have time, learn them both together...you won't
regret it!

HTH,

Bill
 
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