.NET - Bad news for VB?

[Beesknees]

I've been reading much about the advent of .NET. Most of it good I might add but it seems like it is going to be too big a leap for a lot of VB programmers. Let's face it, VB is reasonably easy to learn and if you weren't going too far into COM etc then it was something the average person could pick up in a couple of months.
Seems like .NET is going to require a much more dedicated individual to get totally to grips with CLR and XML.

I'm going to be bold and make a prediction here.
The average VB Programmers will be left behind and end up coding for pocket money while those dedicated enough to get to grips with .NET and C# are going to find themselves with a fairly rosy future.

 

[gwinn7]

Your conclusions seem sound. It wouldn't be the first place I have encountered this perspective. Yikes! VB Programmers beware!

Gary
gwinn7

 

[JimHorton]

They said that about Java too. It's still hasn't come anywhere near it's initial promise.

.Net may indeed be different, but I'm not holding my breath.
--Jim

 

[hannahsh]

The IT industry is in chaos - rates have crashed and projects shelved as business comes to terms with the after effect of Sept 11 and the general recession thats hit the world.

Fortunately Microsoft have come to the rescue - again. Lets face it, if .net can deliver an advantage, companies will take it up and that means jobs. The fact that the level required might be "advanced" will only help to increase earnings potential as the number of available contractors will be reduced.

So I guess for some that will bring some security and wealth, or atleast the potential. But like all things in IT, it depends on the take up, its general market perception and whether users can make it worth the expense. So I guess lads - its all in your own hands. Make it work and better than anything before and the more companies that will adopt it.

 

[dilettante]

I have to agree with BeesKnees on this. VB.Net looks like it was taken over by C++ VB-haters or something.

I to am worried that it will hurt the class of developer who has used VB in the past as an entry to programming or to do a lot of "good enough" and RAD development rather than spending the $$ it takes to have somebody "carve an application out of soap using a straightpin" using one of the C-derivatives.

As proof of this, look at the dearth of activity over in the VB.Net forum.

 

[cyclegeek]

Applications Manager to Sales Rep:
"It'll cost HOW MUCH to upgrade to .net?!? Call me in a few years."

Two words: Legacy Code. There's a lot of it out there because of one other word: Money.

For a few years at least (hopefully long enough to get myself on that thar MS .net gravy train) companies will look at the numbers, not the logic and this is especially so in a tight economy (yeah, yeah getting better).

A lot depends on how big a push Microsoft give this thing.

Still and all, if you're not on the wave, you're under it.

Stay dry.

cyclegeek

 

[Beesknees]

I think that's fair comment.
I also am hoping that the time it takes to learn .NET adequately will directly correspond to the time it takes for .NET to succeed VS6. Here's hoping it takes a while!