>With the information that Microsoft has released about the next version of .NET, it is clear that VB.NET is being steered towards maximum productivity and C# is leaning towards raw power. The beauty of .NET is that you don't have to permanently choose one language over the other. Work with both of them, see which one that you like the best. Then use that language for most of your projects.

Keith;

Excellent advice! We are all different in our experience, and have personal preferences. So far my experience has been VB.NET allows ME to be more productive – at this point!

When I go to create a new project the default is VB.NET. I am sure that is done for a purpose. If I make a typo VB.NET lets me know, while with C # I have to wait until I compile to figure out what I did wrong – like use an incorrect case or typo.

Here is something I did as a learning and teaching experience. I defined a need to pull data using a number of scenarios. SqlDataAdapter, DataView, DataReader, etc. First I created the code in VB.NET and it went smoothly taking little time and not much research. Then I did the same thing using C #, and it took me more time and a lot of research. Now I have some great examples to examine and understand how these puppies play together.

Next step – get away from data objects on the form and use multi tier concepts. I am sure after I have experimented with both languages for a while longer I will choose one, the other or both. I think it is a matter of preference and need.

I saw an article from Microsoft that stated for maximum productivity use VB.NET for your forms and C # for classes. There may be something to that but in the end it boils down to requirements and in our case “corporate dictates”. We are at a good point as we do not yet have a corporate standard and we are searching for one. Everyone seems to be leaning towards C #, for different reasons.

Sometimes I hear things from the two schools (VB.NET and C #) that may or may not be accurate. Many state that VB.NET programming is a small fraction of what is going on in the industry. I always advise looking into what the job market requires and focus your main activity or as much as you can on that area. Being conversant with both languages is a good idea.

Tom