vb vs c++

[EvilMind]

hey which programming language should i try to learn first??

 

what are the benefits of each language?

[fafalone]

Depends on what you want to do

[Dave]

in terms of learning, if you're going to start learning to program from C++ first with no prior knowledge, then you're going to have a steep learning curve. i started off with BBC BASIC, moved onto qbasic, vb, C, C++, and a couple of auxiliary languages like PHP, tcl, etc.

 

if you want to start learning to program, vb is ideal, as it's an extremely easy language to learn. it'll also get you into the idea of OOP, which is a key concept of C++. in general, you can do anything in C++ that you care to put your mind to, but it is a harder language to learn from scratch.

 

also, experience of C before going to C++ is rather essential unless you're really good

[fafalone]

Don't really need C++ at all unless you intend on programming for other OS's or making really advanced apps/games.

[Guest mnguyen86]

i would recommend VB... VB is much easier than C++.. the only thing i dont like about C++ it is too dry plain white and black... i was to used to VB then suddenly i started learning C++ and i found that VB is more "amusing"

[Dave]

Originally posted by mnguyen86

i would recommend VB... VB is much easier than C++.. the only thing i dont like about C++ it is too dry plain white and black... i was to used to VB then suddenly i started learning C++ and i found that VB is more "amusing"

 

i have to say, although VB is a language that is considerably easier than C++, i find i get a lot more satisfaction out of creating something in C++ than VB, and generally i get a better, cleaner program out of it. no matter what anyone says, i have always thought of VB as a messy language, whereas C++ is a lot more refined.

 

also, i made my mandelbrot set generator the other day (see the math forum) which i like a lot. i started out with vb, but steadily moved to C++ because it turned out to be a lot easier. if i'd had to do it in vb, it would have taken me a considerably longer amount of time.

[fafalone]

One advantage of VB that I like is that I can devote the bulk of my time to code, not to GUI, since VB makes GUI trivial. If you want an advanced GUI, it's about the same level of difficulty as C++ because it's primarily just use of APIs.

[Dave]

yeah, i've not really looked into C++ gui programming because really i don't need to atm, and it looks pretty nasty. using something like gtk+ is pretty good (since it's fairly easy to produce an interface), but i've yet to look at it properly.

 

but if you're starting programming, definately VB.

[apollo2011]

Originally posted by dave

in terms of learning, if you're going to start learning to program from C++ first with no prior knowledge, then you're going to have a steep learning curve. i started off with BBC BASIC, moved onto qbasic, vb, C, C++, and a couple of auxiliary languages like PHP, tcl, etc.

 

Like dave said, I started with QBASIC and am now learning Visual Basic. I haven't tried C++ but I have heard that it is a lot harder than VB, BASIC, and HTML

I highly suggest starting with Basic or Qbasic and then movving on to Visual Basic. You can probably get Qbasic for free somewhere.

In fact, I am uploading it to this post. If you want it, jsut download the Zip file I have attatched.

 

If you want to learn QBASIC here is a link to the tutorial I used:

http://www.qbasic.com/

Then Go to "Tutorials"

qbasic files.zip

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

VB is easy, and fun for a first language. But, if you still wanna continue learning C++ after, you have to be pretty devoted. Once you learn VB, you get too lazy to learn any other laguage. I garuntee it...Almost.

[Guest SyntaXVB5]

Depending upon the circumstance, there is a better language for a better situation. I believe anything that requires top-notch performance should be written in C. Also, anything that requires portability. If you're developing windows applications, and want to start quickly, learn Visual Basic. Microsoft is really starting to enhance VB with .NET.

 

C is usually used for hardware-level programming. If you're developing a graphic-intensive game, then this would also be a good elective. C was originally designed to create an Operating System with(Multics, now known as Unix).

 

For anyone blurting out comments saying VB is better than C/C++, or C/C++ is better than VB, they are all wrong. The better language lies in the hand of the programmer, and what they're trying to develop. It would be a waste of time, and energy to learn the entire C language, and Win32 API to create a card game, or a customized text editor.

 

I hope this solves the problem.

[dethfire]

Learn C++ is your going to be a unix guy or game programming.

Learn VB if you want to be a MS guy and program for businesses.

[Guest SyntaXVB5]

As stated before, C was originally implemented for the design & development of the Multics(now unix) operating system. It has low-level hardware handling, and high level design. For anything that requires alot of hardware-related things (programs like 3D studio require low-level handling for maximum performance, also games like Doom III)

 

If you want to start making programs right now then my opinion is to not even learn any other languages, and just use Visual Basic.

 

If you want to learn from the ground (the absolute ground), and write a hundred or so lines of code to simply create a window, then C would be your best bet.

 

Visual Basic makes creating applications easy, it uses simple language symantecs and grammar to do things. Most use english in a standardized format. Even advanced applications can take advantage of this.

[Guest Syntax]

It's funny that you'd say that. When I learned VB, I wanted nothing more than to learn something else, as there are many restrictions. Most will not recognize them until they really dive into the language, but they're there.

[apollo2011]

There is actually a Sam's Publishing book on Beginning Programming. It says to do BASIC, VB, Java and then C/C++. I don't really agree with the Java part though. The book also gives you programs for each and walks you through the process. Looked pretty good except I didn't find until I was halfway up the tree.

[NSX]

Are there any differences b/t java & C?

 

Besides the fact that java can do graphics?

[Guest CPU]

in my idea u must learn pascal first

[Neurocomp2003]

ummm C can do graphics too. THere are alot of graphics packages out there for C hence CG.

VB,VC++? I'd say C then you can branch off to either.

You can always try to learn C and C++ together. C for the basic concepts and stuff of file loading/memory/algorithms/ but then move on to C++: STL which is basically "library" that makes all the algorithms for you so you don't have to start from scratch.

The SAMS C and C++ books are great to learn.

 

THe only reason i see to use VB is the GUI environment though

I believe VC++ has now made it ez.

 

But again as people have stated what do you need to do ios the biggest question

 

GRAPHICS/VR/Simulations without math-> C/C++

SImulations with intense math-> FORTRAN/MATLAB/MAPLE/MATHEMATICA

 

there is always the mixed option...which is to code your respective algorithms in the language of your choice and try to port it to a uniform platform of your choice but this is the hardest option...i'm still trying to figure out how to work matlab and C++ together ....matlab for its matrices and C++ fo the graphics

[fafalone]

As far as RAD, VB takes it without question. It simplifies the user interfaces, and can do virtually everything C++ can... and if theres something thats better to do in C++, it's very easy to use DLLs in VB; in fact theres even a compiler hack to embed C++ code right into your program.

[m@]

I say do visual basic then c++. Only because I didn't and it took me a long time to learn javascript (which i have know idea why i learned first, and no its not java) with no programming experience at all. You need to understand how programming languages work before you take c++ so it makes most sense to get the concepts down before you can take on c++. And after you take vb you might just not want to go onto c++. I never learned basic, i went straight to javascript (more difficult, similar to c++ and java) in 7th grade, read the book over the summer. The next year in 8th grade i spent a trimester learning c++ (45 minute periodicly threwout the school week). Now I've learned lots of languages easily which you might find once you've learned c++. Now i've come accross java. This is kind of like c++ except for one thing, it can be used in alot more places alot easier. So this is also a possibilities since industries are moving to it and it fits very nicely into web pages as applets. With c++ you cannot do this and you would have to spend alot more time reprogramming.

 

Lastly, java and c++ dont do the graphics themselves. C++ may use tools such as open gl or direct x and java (from my impression so far) will use other libraries to do this.

 

Does that answer any questions? w/e i had fun typing ne way

[newmember]

If you are not serious about programming and gonna drop it after a month so don't waste your time - learn VB or VB.net...

 

if you are serious but you are interested in learning programming for very specific subject you probably better to find out what this subject reqieres like math,graphics and etc. and only then make choice...

 

finally if you seriously interested in general programming then go straight to C/C++ without wasting your time on languages like VB,Pascal,all sorts of Scripts and etc.

I think it's general mistake that people say that VB is easier that C++. When you'll want to make a more complex app, not just stick two buttons and textbox on the form, VB will give a real headaqe. I know that because I tried VB myself to see what's so easy about it...

And this is not true at all that you need write hundreds lines of code in C/C++ just for showing windows. It is enough just 10 lines.

[JaKiri]

I think you're missing the idea that C++ is more complex.

[Guest Pampers]

I'm using Qbasic and have never used Vb but i know qbasic is easy and because they are connected Vbasic seems the best choice. I think Qb is easiar than Vb but has many limitations.

[Pinch Paxton]

Most people are happy with Basics of any form rather than C++. Only about 1 in 100 programmers move on to C++ from Basics. That's because it is quite complex. You didn't say what you wanted the language for, and that's an important factor. VB is an easy language to learn, but it is not very good for making games with. There are other alternatives for making games, and graphical devices like Mandelbrots. Two languages I would recommend for games would be Blitz Basic, and Dark Basic. I personally use VB, and Dark Basic.

 

Pincho.

[Guest adsta]

I personally think c++ wouldn't be that bad for a first language to learn. It's not really that hard to get your head around, and there are many free compilers out there (such as gcc).

So head over to www.cprogramming.com and read through the tutorials.

Or if you really want, you could learn x86 assembly