Which should I learn? VB or C++ (v.6.0)?

[BarkerV]

(Newbie question--thanks for the time in advance.)

Question: Which language should I learn first, VB or VC++?

Background: I've recently obtained the use of Visual Basic and Visual C++ (each version 6.0) through work. I'm being given the opportunity to learn either of these two languages. I'm not a programmer by trade--by hobby only. It has been about 10 years since I programmed (and back then it was in Turbo C and plain old Basic). I was thinking that VB might be better because I could use it with Microsoft Office products...but don't know enough to know if C++ would be good for that too?

Other Questions:
I don't have VB.NET or C++.NET, I only have version 6.0 of each. Is this a problem for any reason? Can I buy books on the .NET versions and use them on version 6.0? Or should I look around for version 6.0 books only? Any other tips?

Thank you!

[Manish Malik]

If you have to choose _visual_basic_, go for VB.NET instead of VB 6.0 (VB.NET has many crucial language-specific enhancements apart from .NET dev)

On the other hand, Visual C++ 6.0 compiler has most C++ Standard compliant features (some of them misimplemented though...as most compilers do), and C++.NET does improve upon the Standard compliance (apart from Managed C++/.NET), but you'll not lose much learning C++ with VC++ 6.0. VC++ 6.0 should be okay until you want to get into serious GUI development (MFC is still strong, but .NET's System.Windows.Forms is the future, as Microsoft would have us believe...).

[Manish Malik]

Most .NET books available in the market today focus exclusively on the "new" features that .NET adds to Microsoft's Tools ... VC++.NET and VB.NET ...

If you have to go with 6.0 Tools, better to get the books written for them specifically, and later on buy one of the popular "upgrade yourself to .NET" type of books.

[JeffB]

Hello Barker,

Both VB6 and VC++ will allow you to use Microsoft Office, but you might prefer Visual Basic because you can use that langage to do Macros (Visual Basic for Applications). I think that using Excel, Database and Word is easier with Visual Basic. Visual C++, however, allow you do to more than VB, but is a little more challenging. I have learned VC++ before VB, and it helps me to understand classes, subclassing, thread, pointers and Windows (since API use is easier in VC++), but Visual C++ is more complex than VB and require more time to masterise.

VB is more familiar, more easy to learn, create application quickly, but, has some limitations. You may want to read a little about these two langages and link there use with the work you do. If you work with Visual Application, VB might be better. If you create console application, chose VC++.

For your second question, .NET is extremely different from VB 6 version (I think it is the same for VC++). Do not buy a .NET book if you are using Visual Basic version, all have changed.

JeffB - my two cents

[aio]

There are many "If's" and "but's" trying to figure out to go for VC++ or VB.

If blah blah blah then go for VC++, but …, So if blah blah blah, go for VB, but….!!!

Here's my "If's" and "but's.": :confused:

If you're working (or intend to work) in software houses, or in IT department, or in any similar workplace, then, it is probably better to consider VC++ over VB. There are things that VC can do that VB cannot.

But then, maybe, you don't need those things that you can't do with VB.

Of course you have also to check the programming languages being used in those work places and the requirements. I don't know about US or in your place. But in our place, for example, the most in-demand requirements are database programming and the most preferred language for this is VB.
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Now, if you're a non-programmer by profession like me (you said you're not a programmer by trade, just for hobby), why not go for VB.

I am primarily a Marketing Services & Research person. I studied programming not to become a programmer but to make myself better in handling my Marketing Services and Research projects. The simplicity of VB allows me to concentrate more on the complexity of the real problem rather than spend so much time on the complexity of the programming language. Being the workhorse of MS Office which is a common office tools is also a good point to choose VB.