These groups you posted to are not the ones to begin.....
microsoft.public.dotnet.languages.vb - Visual Basic .NET Group
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion - Visual Basic 6.0 and prior Group
I'd personally go with Visual Basic 6, but I suspect you can't get it anymore
since the .NET (DotNET) has been released.... you may have no choice. But there
are a few different editions of that one, such as standard and
professional......
But anyway, ask in one of those groups. I'm sure they could help you more there
than here.
Tim