# Visual Basic 6.0 Vs Visual Basic.Net **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2003, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282 "2003-09-28T10:51:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/1 "2003-09-28T10:51:15Z")
I have quite a few old GWBasic programs that I would like to convert to Visual Basic. Since I don’t know anything about VB, and will be learning from the ground up, would I be better advised to start with VB6.0 or VBNet? ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/2 "2003-09-28T11:40:08Z")
[VB.NET](http://VB.NET) is the next generation programming language that replaces VB6.0 so I suggest that you go straight to .NET since there’s no point in learning old, superceeded technology. ---
**Author:** ![magog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/fbc32d/32.png) [@magog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magog)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/3 "2003-09-28T12:26:03Z")
If you want a second opinion, I’d agree with **mecaenas** , all other things being equal. ---
**Author:** ![Parallax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Parallax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parallax)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/4 "2003-09-28T12:33:58Z")
I third the motion. =) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/5 "2003-09-28T13:24:30Z")
Okay. Thanks for the input. Is one as easy (or as difficult) as the other? ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/6 "2003-09-28T16:21:17Z")
[VB.NET](http://VB.NET) isn’t just a replacement for VB6 - it’s tied in with a whole load of stuff (I’m desperately trying to avoid the phrase “paradigm shift” here) - in starting from scratch I’d agree that you’re probably going to want to go down the .net route - but take some time to find out about the whole .net framework - and how a [VB.net](http://VB.net) prog runs on a target system, before committing yourself (you’ll need to get your head round it anyway if you do commit, so it’s not wasted time) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/7 "2003-09-28T18:30:08Z")
Well, my intent is just to provide myself with a tool and a learning experience. I am, however reluctantly, semi-retired, and I don’t expect to ever use VB in any sort of business venture. I want to share some of the old GWBasic stuff with a friend and it was he who suggested VB—I’m not sure I can wrap my head around the net concept. My tired old brain just doesn’t grasp it. ---
**Author:** ![magog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/fbc32d/32.png) [@magog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magog)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/8 "2003-09-28T18:47:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Capt B. Phart \* > (I’m desperately trying to avoid the phrase “paradigm shift” here) Oh, come on, you **want** to say it. He’s right - .NET comes built in with a lot of things that were standalone with VB6 (XML support, threading, asynch, etc.). Plus, .NET introduces the idea of DataSet, something foreign in VB / ADO. A VB6 developer looks at a problem and thinks “how can I program this?” A .NET developer looks at the same problem and thinks “is there an assembly that covers this?” ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visual-basic-6-0-vs-visual-basic-net/204282/9 "2003-09-28T20:49:20Z")
Okay, I’m sold. Net it is. Or will be, anyway. Thanks for the input.