Probably a pretty simple question here. I signed up for a college class where the course description definently said that it was for java and the web...so i figured "java applets" well I go to buy the book today for the class and it is called "Programming in Visual Basic .NET" and comes with software that requires Win2K/XP (my XP partition just died from a virus...will wine work or do I need to mess with windows?). Well needless to say i am kind of ticked off cuz i was expecting a java class and now i find out it will be a VB.NET class and it starts in three days! B]What exactly is VB.NET??[/B] How linux friendly is it? I was interested in making simple java game applets....is VB.NET good for making browser based games like a java applet is? I have done searches to find out what VB.NET is and i can't find too much...and almost nothing i found relates to linux so now I am worried...[

IMHO:

VB.NET is the new framework of Visual Basic. VB might teach you a thing or two about OOP but I don't think VB is worth it. I don't really know anything about the new framework but if I were you I would learn java instead (If you're a beginner, learn python).

Hope this helps,
vxc

i dont believe it is at all yet.. take a look at http://www.mono-project.com/about/index.html ..i believe only the C# compiler is working (i haven't played with MONO yet, so feel free to look around that site..)

[edit]

tho.. looking around myself i found this picture on their website ..

http://www.mono-project.com/img/gtk-vb.png

the background picture with all the text on it contains VB.NET source ...MONO may support VB.NET to some extent after all.. (again, more research needed)..

[/edit]

Thanks for the replies. But I still don't get what VB.NET is usually used for, like java is usually used for applets, HTML for webpages, javascript also for webpages, SQL is for database management and used in some online games...but what is VB.NET usually used for? And what is this about C#? Sorry i have so many questions, I would just open my $90 book for the class, but I don't want to open up the shrink wrap so I can get a full refund if I do drop it. It seems that VB.NET programming will be a small hassle in linux, but what about on the recieving end? Like Flash is supposed to only be done on windows, but linux machines can still get the flash player and run flash programs, just not make them.

VB.NET like C# or C++ ..is used for your general, everyday application programing.. these languages coupled with ASP.NET, allow you to program dynamic webpages using ur preferred language.. (i think the old ASP used vbscript or something??)

i dont know that ur going to be able to program 'applet type games' with VB.NET,.. but perhaps there is some understanding i am lacking.. the way you code ASP.NET using VB.NET, C# or C++ is as a server side programming for dynamic pages etc. perhaps it is possible,.. i'm sure some client-side stuff will be needed (..javascript) unless u plan on posting back to the server with every input that the user sends .. but then again ..none of the VB.NET code would get executed since it resides on the server..unless you post??

no,... i do not think it is likely to be able to do what u wish to do with VB.NET, IMHO from what i understand,.. but then again,.. i'm not fully familiar with JAVA or applet technologies.. im more of a C,C++ and lately some C# person myself ^^

i would personally contact the instructor ..tell him/her your intentions and see what they think.. surely u have some sort of contact information, or at least can get that information from the school.. that is to say,.. i wouldn't wait around a forum and instead cut right to the chase and if need be GET YOUR MONEY BACK!!? ^^

Actually the instructor is still listed as "unknown" so I can't call him/her up at the moment. Im still not sure if I understand...VB.NET is just an everyday thing like C++ but when you couple it with ASP.NET it is applicable to webpages? Will these webpages work right if you view them from linux? I did call the university and ask them about it and all they could do was read me the course description which still says java...but the book to buy is the VB.NET book. What is the diff between Visual Basic and VB.NET? Does the .NET part just symbolize it has been coupled with ASP.NET?

take a look at http://arstechnica.com/paedia/n/net/net-1.html ...or http://www.microsoft.com/net/basics/ .. or probably several other places as well..

the ASP.NET webpages will work under any OS because all the code is executed on the server and the resulting page is sent to the browser as plain HTML.. same with the old ASP or PHP..

Visual Basic .NET _IS_ Visual Basic so to speak ..the VB.NET is just another 'upgrade' if you will of the older VBs the .NET is just meaning that the language is .NET capable(compliant..?) (don't really know what word im looking for there..) ..plus there are various changes to the language itself ..but i think much of it remains similar

pretty much, yeah. same can be said for C#. C++ has always been an 'everyday thing' as you said, but it is now possible to code webpages with ASP.NET using C++ as well..(ditto with C#) it's just more choices for coders to pick from i spose.. if you're already comfortable with VB and you want to code ASP.NET webpages ..then u can do so in VB.NET ..if you're a C++ programmer and, again,.. wish to code ASP.NET webpages you can also choose to do so in C++.

Alright, I found out today that I will be able to attend 2 classes and still be able to drop it free of charge, so I think i'll just go to the class and see. But i would like a bit more advice. I am a beginer when it comes to coding...i can write DOS shell scrips (basically because it is so friggin easy lol), I can do VERY basic BASIC (lol) and I can do text based java programs (haven't entered the GUI world yet) and that is it. Will learning VB.NET as my first really proficient language hinder me when I want to learn more languages or will it be an asset? And also is it free to use VB.NET? The book came with some software... it seems to be an IDE for VB.NET...is the IDE a required thing with it or just a handy thing (like NetBeans with java)? And can I really trust this since it is from Microsoft?

If memory serves me correctly, the IDE is not a required tool. It seems to that Microsoft at one point in time had a free Visual Basic .NET compiler available on their website for download.

Basically, VB, VB.NET are strictly commercial MS products. Until MONO (open source equiv to .NET) supports it, it will not run on (Native) Linux. Wine/VMWARE environments are a different qn.
If you can check out the class for free, why not do so.
On the other hand, if you definitely want to stick to Linux compatible languages, switch to a Java class and expand your current knowledge thereof, or maybe try C++ for a similar (OO) approach.
HTH

Well I can't find a free compiler for it...but it is highly possible it is out there since M$ is kind or hard to figure out...especially if you want something for free! lol. So if anyone happens to know please let me know. I've already went to one class...we just discussed the basics of programming like compilers and machine code and all so it was pretty easy, but next class I should start getting a better feel of what VB.NET is about. Thanks for all the replies.

Here's a link to where you can get the .Net framework SDK 1.1. It contains all the command-line tools needed to compile .Net apps, but it doesn't have the IDE.

great! Well now that I know I can do it for free if I want to I think i'll stick with the class...and hopefully mono will offer support for VB.NET soon.