Why VB 6.0??

[TheCPUWizard]

Just curious... given that it is no longer supported (support ended over 3 years ago March 31, 2005)

[dglienna]

Well, support for older software is one reason. Doesn't mean that the next version isn't in the works, though.

It'd be hard for a VB MVP to not use VB6, though.

[TheCPUWizard]

Well, support for older software is one reason. Doesn't mean that the next version isn't in the works, though.

It'd be hard for a VB MVP to not use VB6, though.

David, you (and the other VB MVP's) I understand...

Also corporations with Enterprise Service Agreements still having to support VB6.0 application while they are developing replacements for VB9.0 or even 10.0...

But the "newbies" completely baffle me. To the best of my knowledge it is no longer possible to get a legal license for VB 6.0 from any channels.

Granted there may be a dozen people in the world who legally bought VB6.0 10 years ago, have had it sitting on their shelf for a decade, have not upgraded their computer in that time, and have finally decided to learn programing. But I think 12 people would actually be on the high side...

[Joeman]

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.....
IF YOU ARE OFFENDED EASILY, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS POST

I really expressed myself, so no banning me.... please...........
He asked me why, so I told

Don't get me started on why vb6 is way better than the junked up garage collector with the easy to decompile hacked up piece of **** the .net is. I heard about people asking if their code got stolen and the answer is yes. vb6 is old, but so is c++ and they are both able to compile to native code, so get rid of p-code and stick with something that has proven time over time over time and still a darn good program language. I don't call vb.net the vb6 upgrade. It is nothing like its big brother . vb6 should have been vb6++ by now if you ask me. That is how good it is and was. That was my first program language and will be the happiest times of my life. You can take your .net framework and make a good project and send me the exe. I will then send your code back. Stupid p-code. You can think you are smart using the .net, but it does the coding for you. It is microsoft''s point, click, type and we will do the work for you No offense, but there was NO good option on the poll to respect vb6 at all. All you did was discriminant against vb6 users.

Have you even tried vb6? It was a milestone. It was a good achievement. Also vb6 runs fine under vista and vista sucks too. Vista is colored blinds that is a hippie :S Blue with blue-ish green with some pink-ish red and whatever else that hippie thought to put in that gui theme. omfg. I used windowblinds and found better ones than microsoft produced for vista :'(

Get rid of the .net and vista . You make me sad and also kinda sick.

[TheCPUWizard]

No problem in expressing your self...

A few points...

1) I have been programming for well over 35 years. The first Basic I used was the original Dartmouth Basic back in 1973. I have also developed commercial applications in EVERY version of Visual Basic.

2) There is no "p-code" in .NET. Before execution EVERYTHING is ALWAYS compiled to native code. Granted the last pert happens just before execution, but it does happen and only happens once (per execution of the processs)

3) I have done many contracts reverse-engineering applications (always ethically!). With the correct experience and tools there is no more difficulty reverse engineering a VB 4,5,6 application than there is reverse engineering a .Net assembly. The exact same holds true for anything written in C++ (especially if you know which compiler was used).

4) Managed code is no more (or less) "Point and Click" than any other environment with an IDE that supports designers. On the otherhand, you can create ANY .Net application with nothing more than the operating system and the .Net runtime installed on your machine. [And yes, I have had to do this....]

5) VB 6 WAS a great product. I am not arguing that. But the downsides to using something thatis out of support is tremendous. In justunder 22 months, Microsoft "could" (although extremely doubtful they would) put out an update through automatic updates that would render EVERY (or ANY) program written using V6 (VB or C++), and it would NOT violate any terms or conditions. As a matter of corporate policy we stopped buying any product that was developed using V6 tools in 2004, our last existing one was removed from all systems in mid-2006.

6) Talking about the Visual Aspect of Vista (positively or negatively) is really just hyperbole. One fact stands clear. At the last security convention, MAC OSX fell to an attack within the first hour. Linux (Unbutu and RedHat enterprise) fell on the first day. Vista did not fall until the fourth day (almost after 6 hours AFTER security features were disabled!).

[dglienna]

Something just came back to bite me this week. Seems a Windows Update killed off Capicom/VB6 support. Bad data for a space password?

Had to recompile to delete a statement, bypassing the setup security.

If anyone has seen this recently, ping back!

[TheCPUWizard]

Using Crypto API??? http://forums.msdn.microsoft.com/en-...-4b8af6428cda/

[dglienna]

Using Capicom with VB6. Oddly enough, the vbs script works.

Option Explicit 

Dim sSecretData
sSecretData = "Here is some very secret data." 

' Build up the key
Dim wshNetwork, sComputerName
Set wshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network") 
sComputerName = wshNetwork.ComputerName

Dim capEData
Set capEData = CreateObject("CAPICOM.EncryptedData")

capEData.Algorithm =  3 'Use 3DES
capEData.SetSecret sComputerName 
capEData.Content = sSecretData

Dim sCipherText
sCipherText = capEData.Encrypt

capEData.Algorithm =  3
capEData.SetSecret sComputerName 
capEData.Decrypt sCipherText

Dim sPlainText
sPlainText = capEData.Content 

MsgBox "Original data: " & sSecretData & chr(13) _ 
  & "Encrypted data: " & sCipherText & chr(13) _ 
  & "Recoverd data: " & sPlainText

[WillAtwell]

I have been using some form of basic for many years as well going back to the commodore 64 brand of basic, basica, GW-Basic, VB-Dos and VB 3,4,5,6

I use VB6 quite often still, partly because I am really used to using it and can turn out an app pretty quick when need be and largely because I have lots of projects to support that would just require way to much effort to convert.

I also use VB 2003 in a few projects and 2005 in most of my newer stuff soon to install and start using 2008 under Vista but have been dragging my feet on that one.

To the best of my knowledge vb6 is still available from Microsoft via MSDN. Visual studio 6 apparently is not due to a settlement with Sun over the Java deal. Yet both are avaiable from 3rd party retailers right now.

[TheCPUWizard]

To the best of my knowledge vb6 is still available from Microsoft via MSDN. Visual studio 6 apparently is not due to a settlement with Sun over the Java deal. Yet both are avaiable from 3rd party retailers right now.

However EVERYTHING from MSDN is for development, evaluation and test. For example you can download Office (or use it from your CD/DVD to develop a program that utilizes Word Automation. However if you write a single document for actual use (a note to your mother), then you are in violation of the agreement.

The same is true for the developer tools.

This has subtly changed in the past year as reflected in the pricing. For $10,000 (approx) you get the full MSDN for 1 year - WITH a valid SINGLE DEVELOPER / SINGLE MACHINE license for the Visual Studio 2008.

[dglienna]

A few apps (like Office) are available for personal use thru the MSDN program. Nobody expects a developer to test in Word, but buy WordPerfect to write correspondence.

[TheCPUWizard]

A few apps (like Office) are available for personal use thru the MSDN program. Nobody expects a developer to test in Word, but buy WordPerfect to write correspondence.

They fully expect anyone doing business to buy a full retail copy for doing business.

I have been through this in detail with the licensing department within Microsoft. Every machine (including each virtual machine that is used for anything other than evaluation) I own (I am a professional consultant) has a valid "retail" (albiet a good number or NFR) copy of the operating system, as well as licensed copies of each product that is used on that machine.

[dglienna]

Just looked a the new gift that I got, and it says for any PERSONAL BUSINESS USE for Office Ultimate plus a half dozen others.

[Joeman]

I disagree with the whole decompiling c++. Even if you know the compiler, you would have to reverse alot or just read asm unlike for the .net.. Vb.net doesn't even have a good name right now. It is c#.net that is getting the attention. The reason why I use vb6 is because I have it. I tried the .net and was going for c#. I created a simple program and my bro decompiled it. Why was I upset? Simple... What happen if I created a major program and didn't know I had to protect it. My cousin has a job in c#, so good for him. I suppose vb.net is ok to use, but it isn't like vb6 to me. I bet it is slower too.

Xp is old. They are pulling support(or was) for xp soon. Should I stop using it? Nope and I will not. I will turn to linux for good or mac os. I like my xp and will keep it until I am forced not to and microsoft policies are bad.

If you can reverse vb6 code, perhaps p-code was used. vb6 is the only one that supported to native code. It is easier to rewrite the code than to decompile it unless you know something I don't know. I know vb6 uses activex controls for their stuff.

Vista is a hyperbole, but besides that the reason vista didn't fall is because depite all the complaints about things being security problems, they said it wasn't and it was a rights problem. They pretty much gave them the right to do what they wanted even without the permission from the user, so that darn "ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS" and "DID YOU GIVE THIS PERMISSION I JUST ASKED ABOUT" policy came.....

Internet explorer 9 is the biggest virus/spam/trojan contributor. I know how to make a trojan downloader in vbscript and javascript. I wonder if it will work on vista...

I probably shouldn't use firefox because microsoft doesn't support it.
I could go on and on why I should use firefox, but I going to search the forums to see if anyone needs help

There is a reason why they are giving it out for free, so they can stiff you later and they are losing with how they strict they are.

[WillAtwell]

VB5 supported native code as well