I'm after learning one of the Visual Studio languages, but don't know which to go for. I've messed around with a few Basic languages in the past, so was gonna go the VB route, but didn't know if I'd be better going for Visual C++ or C#. So, I was wondering if anyone knew which might be the best to go for in terms of power and flexibility.

Cheers

Ventmore

I'd go for C# if it was me, thankfully it isn't

We use C++ for the software we write here, but that's not necessarily a cast-iron endorsement (not least as I'm not the one doing the programming). We've never been asked by customers to add any functionality that's been beyond C++'s powers though...

C#

c# and the .net architecture.

Considering MS said that the .net initative had stalled and they would kick start it, I have to say I was a little shocked.

Presently I am travelling down a j2ee road and there are not many open doors...conversley the search on similar scaled MS centric .net, there is a 10 fold increase in positions.

However there is a lot of open source stuff within java land, which is less so with the c# stuff, so your path will be quicker and more organised. As the java band tend to create a new way to do somthing every 5 minutes, which gets a bit boggling, wicket jsf struts trundles off.

C# hands-down. To get good at C++ will take a fair amount of actually working with it within a job-situation. C# is kinda the same but it's easy enough to pick it up.

I did C++/COM/ATL for 10ish years, and I picked up C# (the basics) within a few weeks. I reckon I can write a fair few things now, about 6 months in.

C++ is good to know however, as the foundations it lays are solid.

If I understand the question, you're asking whether VB will be OK or whether going for a language with c-style syntax would be better?

Well, I'd say C++ is probably the one to avoid. Unless you're doing something special (embedded work perhaps, driver development etc etc) then C++ gives you a load of extra complexity and is of no real benefit.

From the managed point of view (VB vs C#), you might find that you have quite a bit of a head start if you're used to BASIC-style syntax. Writing code for the framework, however, isn't at all like "classic" VB. Start by getting a *very* good understanding of OO and a feel for where the various bits of the framework are.

I'm pretty sure that MS will keep developing the VB.net language because they have to do the hard work (framework, IL-interpreter, IDE etc) for C# and adding another language is quite straightforward. From an interop point of view, you can still call COM components from either managed language and VB.net is supported by mono ( www.mono-project.com ) by a compiler and, of course, the .net runtime environment and so works on Linux etc.

Cheers for the input chaps......I think I'm leaning towards giving VB a go, but I'm still not 100%.

Cheers

Ventmore