Should I learn...VB or C#?

[BeatMaster]

I'm currently deciding whether to take Visual Basic or Microsoft C# for a 2nd year computing degree. It's a year long course so your input is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

BeatMaster

 

[Peve]

I am a noob when it comes to programming but I got to say I think 99% of people will say Csharp (cant find out where the sharp symbol is on my keyboard )

 

[zetec452]

C# is considered a better programming language to learn. It will also serve you well for other languages like java.

 

[Laurio]

I would say C# is better to learn, probs more practical and applicable to real programming/ software engineering companies and it could serve you better for your placement year.

Laurio

 

[robmiller]

C# without any shadow of a doubt. Best language ever created

 

[riddlermarc]

C# for sure, I use it at work and it's far better than VB

 

[Inquisitor]

C#

 

[Sul]

VB is disgusting, go for C#

 

[Psyk]

Another vote for C#. If you learn C# you practically know Java aswell.

 

[Shaye87]

C# is considered a better programming language to learn. It will also serve you well for other languages like java.

Agreed
Go C#.

 

[BeatMaster]

Fairly conclusively, C# it is then

Shall change my option accordingly!

Thanks everyone

BeatMaster

 

[RobH]

Definatly C#, I am doing Java for my Computer Science degree and I am picking it up fairly easily. The Object-Orintated part is the hardest, the syntax is no problem once you know it.

 

[hp7909]

VB's easy, whether to recommend it over C#'s another thing

 

[|Show|]

just on a side note (sry) - i've been doing c++ @ uni, and was wondering what the difference is between C# and C++?
M goi.

 

[Psyk]

just on a side note (sry) - i've been doing c++ @ uni, and was wondering what the difference is between C# and C++?
M goi.

The difference is they are completely different.
Well C# has C like syntax and they can both do OOP but apart from that they are nothing alike. C# is much closer to Java.

 

[TrUz]

VB is disgusting, go for C#

I would not say VB is disgusting it is not that bad and is still a powerfull language. It is not as powerfull as C# or C++, but if all you want to do is a quick application and have no inrest in taking up programming then it might be the choice for you.

If you are intrested in learning a programming language in depth then I would suggest C#, it is a really nice language and not all that much more difficult to pick up compared to VB being as they both use the .NET Framework.

TrUz

 

[Inquisitor]

just on a side note (sry) - i've been doing c++ @ uni, and was wondering what the difference is between C# and C++?
M goi.

To put it simply, C# is managed, C++ isn't. In C++, you have to think about memory management etc., whereas in C#, you have the CLR to handle all that for you.

C# is also a fair bit more concise in my opinion, largely as a result of being managed. The syntax is a lot cleaner and more structured, there's almost never any need for pointers (although you can still use them if you really need to, given that you specifiy an unsafe context).

C# was very much developed with ease of use in mind. They've included a lot of features in the .NET framework that would otherwise be pain to emulate in other languages, for example, nullable primitive types, events, etc. It comes with a very extensive library, which means you usually won't have to go and look for third party libraries, or write your own, to perform some trivial operation.

 

[Inquisitor]

I would not say VB is disgusting it is not that bad and is still a powerfull language. It is not as powerfull as C# or C++, but if all you want to do is a quick application and have no inrest in taking up programming then it might be the choice for you.

If you are intrested in learning a programming language in depth then I would suggest C#, it is a really nice language and not all that much more difficult to pick up compared to VB being as they both use the .NET Framework.

TrUz

Depends whether the OP meant VB6 or VB.NET; they're entirely different animals.

VB.NET is VB on the surface, but underneath, it's incredibly similar to C#. They both have identical OOP functionality (as a necessity; they both use the same libraries), they both compile to the same language, and they're both used with the same IDE.

VB6, on the other hand, I agree, is horrific. Definitely not a good language to learn these days.

 

[Thrash]

C# without a doubt, however one thing to remember is in the workplace there are a lot of companies using VBA in Excel, Access etc and so these skills can be in demand.

For software development C# is the preferred choice for many reasons most of which have been mentioned above.

If you are deciding what to learn to get the best start in the workplace, I would say know more than one development technology. I have developed in C#, VB, VBA, C++ and now I've been put on a project that requires RPG, which for those of you who have grown up coding in a pleasant IDE would make your hair curl.

 

[Beansprout]

C# without any shadow of a doubt. Best language ever created

Get hacking World Wind then!!