What do I need to get VB?

[Johnny C]

It's a looong time since I was in the programming world - Windows 3 was new on the scene.

I want to pick VB graphics up again for personal amusement (how sad is that?). I use VBA on a daily basis, but I want VB so I can pick up the graphics side.

What bit of MS code do I need to get? I run Vista HP and want the latest VB to go with that, and I'll be moving to vista 64 when I get round to it..

 

[Andrew Fergus]

Hi Johnny

Have you looked into the the Visual Studio .Net framework? The latest version of VB is now incorporated into the .Net framework.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/aa700867.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/default.aspx

Andrew

 

[Johnny C]

Briefly, but it's got far more than I want. I won't be deploying anything or publishing on the web, just creating small graphics applications for my own amusement.

It looks like VB2005 is the latest at the moment; there is an Orcas download (Visual Studio 2007) but it looks far too complicated for my needs.

I did find a link for a free download of VB 2005 express;
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/downloads/default.aspx
I'm at work so I can't test it out, but I will try it out at home. It may be out of date or get arsey about me not being in the US, in which case I shall have to resort to eBay. Sadly they seem to have clamped down on software a bit in eBay.

 

[Andrew Fergus]

Hi

You might find the express version is hamstrung in some way. For example, in learning editions of VB6 the help files were inactivated and you couldn't convert your project into an executable file. I haven't looked at the one you linked so I'm not sure about that one. I have both VB6 and VB .Net and yes there is a lot of stuff in the .Net that I simply don't use and I don't think I ever will. That said I actually prefer the older VB6. I know what you mean about the auctions - you have to be quick with a buy-now if one is for sale before it gets pulled. I believe (purely conjecture on my part, not based on fact) MS or the auction sites are upholding the licence agreements of not reselling MS software.

Andrew

 

[Johnny C]

I think you're right about eBay not upsetting MS over reselling, eBay get upset at anyone reselling software. I got a copy of Adobe Photoshop CS for US$5 but it took me an age, by the time I put a bid in eBay had pulled them