VB and C# Coevolution

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Thu, 13 May 2010 23:42:47 GMT

"it's simply impossible to think Object Oriented with VB writing"

The syntax to do anything object oriented in VB is so clumsy that there's no point. If VB overtakes anything it may overtake F# as the functional language.

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Thu, 13 May 2010 23:36:05 GMT

"but if everything you need can be achieved via any of two why would you be spending extra efforts for unclear reason to master curly C# instead of human like VB.NET?"

are you nuts? how do you line up the beginning and ending of nested if statements and loops with crazy vb syntax? how can anyone find curly braces confusing? they get rid of all the confusion. If you indent your code (and Visual Studio does this AUTOMATICALLY for you) then you can see very easily where an if begins and ends even if you have a billion nested ones because curly braces make sense! You canNOT do that in VB. With an editor like Textpad you can put your cursor on a curly brace and click "match brace" and it will transport you from beginning to end or vice versa. I don't know if visual studio does this but it should. but you can't do that in VB, only in C#.

Now back in ancient times when people coded c++ in notepad and were too lazy to indent, then yeah the curly braces could get confusing but that doesn't fly with Visual Studio's automatic indention that keeps that from happening.

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Thu, 13 May 2010 23:28:44 GMT

Just add curly braces to VB already, or a checkbox in options that switches from unreadable IF else end If syntax to curly brace syntax. That is the one thing VB really needs. Or add a checkbox in options to allow case insensitivity in C#. (That's the only thing that keeps VB alive is case insensitivity, and if it was added to C# it would kill VB.)

re: VB and C# Coevolution

C# Lover — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:07:39 GMT

Just to make things clear, I love C#, I hate VB and I won't change my mind because there is no rational reason to do so.

Let's leave Microsoft pursue its quest to let C# and VB evolve in parallel. This is a very good decision, as so many developers of both languages hope that their language of choice will be kept alive.

Imagine that in 2 or 3 years time, Microsoft implements a new button in the toolbar where we will simply be able to switch between C# or VB view?

Reflector does that from assemblies already.

There are already some online converters between C# and VB.

The future is the coexistence of both languages for many many years.

But if you are to choose today which language to pick, get the good advice.

VB is verbose, a VBer needs to read and scroll much more during the day than a C#er.

I simply cannot get the VBers' argument telling that their language becomes clearer because of its verbosity.

Question: What is more concise/readable?

int MyFunction(int value) {

return value;

} (C#)

Function MyFunction(ByVal value As Long) As Long

MyFunction = value

End Function (VB)

int counter; (C#)

Dim counter As Long (VB)

counter++; (C#)

counter = counter + 1 (VB)

} (C#)

Endif, End Sub, End Function, End Case, Next, End Loop, etc. (VB)

I simply don't get why VBers feel sick when seeing curly braces or semi columns.

Another point that is painful in VB: case insensitivity. Why on earth?

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Steve Hicks — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:56:18 GMT

Firstly, I'd like to extend my personal thanks to you guys at Microsoft for doing such an excellent job on the progression of VB from the VB3 era where I cut my teeth, through to the newest incarnation of VB.NET in VS 2010. In decline or otherwise, my team and I tend to jump around from VB to C# to JavaScript depending on the situation.

I find that new members of my development teams who, like me, have spent many years working with VB find VB.NET an excellent primer to the .NET Framework (where they may not have previously had much experience). Also, even after all this time, we still find VB to be the language of choice for rapid prototyping whereas C# development always seems to be more involved over the lifecycle of a development project. I, for one, would be very upset if VB were to be discontinued or neglected.

Again, our sincerest thanks to all there at MS for their continued fine work. Keep it up guys!

re: VB and C# Coevolution

John — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:53:49 GMT

I was a VB guy (VB5 & 6) but, got tired of C# programmers receiving more money and perceived as being better. Us VB (OK I'm no longer) people love to point out the adjustment to the curly mentality. But, as long as the beginners and the novices always start out in VBA or VB , it will continue to be slighted and those lesser programmers will impact in how the VB community is viewed as a whole. The curly brackets I feared, I now love. I also love it is less of a brain switch to go from VB to Javascript. And if a Java programmer has to work in .Net, he will of course pick up C#, which is syntactically near identical.

Which is the best language, in my book, is moot. But, I don't see the above perception changing

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Robert Domitz — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:58:55 GMT

As I read the arguments for C# and for VB, I believe the bottom line reality in the working world boils down to one question: What is the department policy? If the boss says, "code in XYZ language", you code in XYZ language. If you don't know that language, you learn it - and fast!

I believe that Microsoft is on the right track in enhancing the interoperability between the different languages. This can allow us to continue to use our "legacy" code base when the next boss says,"We are now a language GHI shop.". Remember, the boss may be a lot of things, but the boss gets what the boss wants.

re: VB and C# Coevolution

Tim — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:20:14 GMT

Hey Scott,

Very good article and I like your VB/C# coevolution strategy. Have you and your team ever thought about taking the best of both languages and merging them into one powerful language? It may create a few headaches up front but would it not be more effective in the long run to break the language barrier for the two?

re: VB and C# Coevolution

GGSoft — Sat, 01 May 2010 13:10:43 GMT

There is not "my" namespace in c#.

There is hard to code event for c# then in vb.net

Code looks more readable in vb.net then in c#

Debugging is more easy in vb.net than in c#

I Have tried both language, And VB.NET is my choise

We dont need to join with c# (because vb.net is leader)

All must learn vb.net. C# is not needed more.

re: VB and C# Coevolution

C# — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:20:26 GMT

@CProgrammer

"New C# came out and it's simply impossible to think Object Oriented with VB writing !!"

That comment says more about the developer than the language....time for a new profession maybe?