The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5) - MS offers Visual Basic .NET 2003 for free

MS offers Visual Basic .NET 2003 for free

Well OK, you have to "rate" 5 short films on VB.NET development topics, and it is restricted to the US (grrr).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/atthemovies/default.aspx

Just me (Sir to you)
Monday, May 3, 2004

Thanks for the info. A coworker of mine could use the free copy.

Ron Moddesette
Monday, May 3, 2004

Oeps,

I forgot the old "tip of the hat" to Mike Gunderloy". Thanks for the heads-up, Mike.

http://www.larkware.com/Articles/TheDailyGrind362.html

Just me (Sir to you)
Monday, May 3, 2004

USA! USA! USA!

:-P

Captain America
Monday, May 3, 2004

FYI-

'Standard' edition lacks the capability to make class libraries (dll's) - a crippler of a limitation IMHO. You can still do it from the CLI, of course.

I paid $119 for the 'standard' edition and a crappy book written for a 6th-grade audience.

Sassy
Monday, May 3, 2004

Looks like the VB developers must be flocking to .Net in drives.

Ha Ha
Monday, May 3, 2004

Neat, thanks for the link.

Oingo
Monday, May 3, 2004

For those of you in the northeast, head over to your local Job Lot. You can pick up Visual Basic, C#, C++, etc standard editions with CDs and manuals for $15.00.

You can also pick up complete framework documents set for $25.00.

rick

Rick Chapman
Monday, May 3, 2004

What do you mean Local Job Lot?

Anon
Monday, May 3, 2004

We all know Rick lives in his own little world - Job Lot only has stores in CT, MA and RI. Rick, please buy a book on geography...there are quite a few out there that are properly bound ;-)

Monday, May 3, 2004

Hmmm... I suspect that this means that VB programmers aren't making the .net switch as quickly as MS hoped.

Why else would MS offer a discount NOW ?
(I.e., "tipping effect" should start once you get a large # of VB programmers onto .net. At that point momentum will cause wider .net adoption, you won't need enticements).

Mr. Analogy
Monday, May 3, 2004

I think most VB programmers will never go to VB.NET. After a month of VB.NET, I decided to just use C# and be rid of VB once and before. There are spots where you can't even tell the difference between the two.

Sassy
Monday, May 3, 2004

"once and before" = "once and for all"

- crack, it kills.

Sassy
Monday, May 3, 2004

> and it is restricted to the US (grrr).

Bet you didn't find out until the last page either. My fav is the sites that don't tell you US only until you're checking out with a basket load of stuff you need. "What, other countries use the internet!" Golly gosh Jim-Bob did you hear that!"

Mr. E. Lurker
Monday, May 3, 2004

If you really do want this for free, there is a good chance you will get it even if you aren't in the US.

Numerous times I have filled in my details for free stuff from MS that stated specifically "USA ONLY" and I still got it. I am in Sydney, Australia.

One thing I will note also, that when I order stuff from MS Australia (free or paid) it usually comes from Singapore, but the stuff I get from these USA ONLY things comes via a french speaking country (not sure Canada or France) - I just think MS doesn't know how to do the where clause on their select statement when printing the shipping labels.

Another thing for all people outside of the US, it seems when MS offers something for "Buy the CD for $9.95" on the US site, the MS AsiaPacific site will have it for free - not sure if they ship to the US though. The VB and ASP.net resource kits were a good example of this. Of course I am still waiting for the C# resource kit, although the ASP.Net one is quite good for a beginner of which there are a few in our office.

Chris Ormerod
Monday, May 3, 2004

VB.NET exists so Microsoft can say VB has a future. The next instalment is that the future is C#.

That is all.

Simon Lucy
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Well I guess we're lucky it's not up to you, Simon.

Kyralessa
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

We all know Rick lives in his own little world - Job Lot only has stores in CT, MA and RI. Rick, please buy a book on geography...there are quite a few out there that are properly bound ;-)

Well, for those of us who live on Planet Earth, that's located in the northeast (US).

But people like you who live in their own private world of trivial silliness probably miss fine points like this.

But if you've got a friend near a Job Lot, have em buy you a sweet deal and ship it!

rick

Rick Chapman
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

+++What do you mean Local Job Lot?+++

A chain of liquidator stores located in the northeast of the US.

rick

Rick Chapman
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

AKA ODD LOT (NY)
AKA BIG LOTS (CA)

ODD LOT & RICKELS FOREVER!

Chibsty
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

AKA ODD LOT (NY)
AKA BIG LOTS (CA)

ODD LOT & RICKELS FOREVER!

I suspect New Yawk's Push Cart guys have it also; the liquidators all tend to use the same channels and go the same auctions.

rick

Rick Chapman
Tuesday, May 4, 2004