Need both VS.Net and VB.Net? (VS.Net )

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Hi all,
I’ve done lots of VB/VBA and C++ programming and have just recently started to look into .Net. After reading 1-1/2 books so far on VB.Net I am still confused on a very basic question…. I know you guys can help straighten me out.

I’ve used earlier versions of VS before (with C++) so understand what it does, but why are there multiple s/w packages; 1) VS.Net, 2) VB.Net (or other languages), 3) Framework.

Does that mean I have to install VS, then pick the language and install that, then install Framework?

I just now installed ‘VS.Net Enterprise Architect 2003 Final Beta 3’ (very, very, long, tedious install) and notice that it allowed me to pick any of 4 languages to install (C++, C#, J#, VB) so that tells me that VS comes with the languages. Since this seems to be true (at least for the Enterprise Arch version) why do they sell VB.Net separately?

If you buy VB.Net on its own, can you create .exe programs with it?

I know this is such a trivial question but it’s not clear to me.

Thnx, Deb

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Hi Deb,

I’m just coming to terms with some of this myself.

VS.Net comes with four languages, as you correctly point out. It costs more than a single language on its own. In Australia, VS.Net student edition costs twice as much as VB.Net by itself. You could probably by, for instance, just C# by itself.

All four languages “Compile” to the same code. It’s not an exe, there is a final “just in time” compile type of operation when it’s run.

I don’t know where “Framework” as a package sits.

There is something in the .Net stuff which enables you to create an exe- it’s not done by default. But I don’t know if that exe can be deployed into a machine without .Net- I suspect not (that may be what the Framework pack is about?)

Good luck in sorting it out.

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See http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/howtobuy/choosing.asp%5B/url%5D for a description of the flavors of VS .NET.

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Thnx for the link but I’ve read through that table before and it doesn’t really answer my question. All three versions of VS contain the four supported languages. My question is since that’s true, why are the languages available separately, VB.Net, etc.

Is it because you don’t really NEED Visual Studio to create a program (but of course it’s much easier if you do)? You can use a text editor to make console apps and compile via command line.

I take it that the .Net Framework is offered separately since they can update that with bug fixes and you can then update the Framework in your VS independent of updating VS (just like installing a new service pack in Windows).

The .Net Framework it seems is many things; a large class library, an intermediary between the CLR and the chosen programming language, etc.

Thnx, Deb

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The single language producys omit significant features, e.g., see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/howtobuy/choosing.asp%5B/url%5D.

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Browse from .NET Framework Home

Andrew C

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Not that I really know what I’m talking about, but here’s my take on it all…..
The Framework SDK (the free part) can indeed be used to run and compile programs. You can also write books with Notepad! They released this to allow people to tack this onto their IIS installations, it’s free like Internet Explorer, give something away to make it reach critcal mass.

Now we get to the languages. No, you do not need to buy VS.Net and VB.Net. All products come with the framework SDK. I myself bought VB.Net, and yes you can make .exe programs from it. I think MS released it more as an introduction/ price point, maybe for weekend hacks like myself that find fooling around in VB more fun than DOOM. The biggest gap I’ve seen between standalone VB and the entire VS package seems to be the database tools, and this is a serious bummer. I make do with .adp projects in Access when fooling around with the SQL Server engine installed with .Net.

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For anybody already having VB 6, VB .NET is inadequate because it does not include the Upgrade Wizard.

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