VB gets pwn3d as C# takes over
July 1, 2008This is madness. Coming from the nightmare of Classic ASP, many VB programmers seamlessly moved to VB.NET. If you have done the switch, you know that it is bitter sweet.
On one hand, you now have the rich environment of Visual Studio to create powerful applications that meet today’s standards. On the other, you have to get used to vast amount of libraries and namespaces available within the .NET Framework. The differences between Classic ASP and .NET are immense.
That sucks. Here I thought I was big stuff with my Classic ASP; then I make the upgrade to .NET and inherit a butt-load of new things that I have to learn. Of course, I am always up to the challenge; however, now that everyone is going crazy about C#, where do all the VB programmers go? Will this madness ever end?
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for learning about new technologies and languages; being in this field, you have to be or you’re out of work. What I don’t like, and think is pointless to do, is learn something you are never going to apply. What is the point of reading a manual of a product if you don’t even own it or intend on using it? The same goes (for me) with C#. If I only intend on developing and crafting my talent in VB, why bother with C#? Both libraries are so rich that it takes time and dedication to truly “master” your programming ability.
Yeah, I know they have a lot of similarities, however when you are brainstorming for solutions to a web app, you usually visualize it in the language you feel most comfortable with.
Joe Stagner at Microsoft recently wrote about this crisis. I personally think it sucks. I mean, I know that in the end, it’s all about personal programming preference, but if employers prefer that you develop in C#, who are we to say anything?
And what does this mean for our future with Microsoft languages? OK, so now VB is going out of style, who is to say that someday C# won’t go out of style too?! What are geeks supposed to do?
I’ll tell you what we should do: cut the crap and pick up a book on both languages. If you don’t, the geek next to you will and take your salary right out of your pocket without even buying you a drink.
#Region “Overdone Geeky Joke”
Public Sub PopularOpinion() Handles FunByte.Talk
Dim speak as boolean = true
Select Case speak
Case true
‘Learn C#
GetMySkillSet(“CSharp” )
Case false
‘Shut the hell up
GetMySkillSet(“Useless Skill” )
End Select
End Sub
Protected Function GetMySkillSet(ByVal Skill as string) as Realworld.Experience
If Skill = “CSharp” Then
Dim AwesomeSkills as new Microsoft.CSharp
Return AwesomeSkills
ElseIf Skill = “Useless Skill” Then
Dim LameAssSkills as new Village.Idiot.Chicken.Chaser
Return LameAssSkills
Else
Return Nothing
End If
End Function
#End Region
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Thank you for your wonderful geeky contribution. Programmers unite!