C++ or VB? How should I waste valuable company training dollars

[Windogg]

There is a whole buttload of tuition $$$ i'm going to use up before it disappers for the year. Since I'm pretty good at hardware and networking, I'm hoping to diversify my knowledge. I've futzed around with both C++ and Visual Basic and now I'm trying to figure out which road to take. I'm not looking to become a code monkey so compensation is not a consideration.

Any opinions?

Windogg

 

[Pretender]

VB is for newbies....if you want to learn something valuable or plan on ever going into software programming I'd have to suggest C++.

 

[ltk007]

C++

 

[ViRGE]

Yes, definately C++. Besides its greater usefullness than VB, it won't be hard for you tot pick up on Java should the time come.

 

[FrogDog]

Yeah if you are actually going to program fairly seriously later on you'll want C++ over VB for sure.

Edit - Plus the fact that it's not that hard to learn. I'm going through a book I bought and finding it really easy to teach to myself.

 

[vi edit]

I say go w/ VB. You can do a hell of a lot more with a hell of a lot less. VB is also sort of fun. You can pick up more VB and make much more useful programs in a shorter amount of time with it. If you are doing it just for gits and shiggles, then go for VB.

But if you really want to pick a very usefull language, especially in the internet/networking area, look up perl. You can do some damn smooth things with that language.

It's sort of based of of C/C++, but what would take you 100 lines in C++, you can do in 2 or 3 in perl. It's also very handy for doing logging and searches in a networked environment.

 

[Linux23]

VB, C++ requires too much damn time to master. I learned VB from MSOFFICE VBA, and applied it to VB6, where I have 10,000+ lines of code written for my complex project (4 years in the making)!

 

[Linux23]

VB, C++ requires too much damn time to master. I learned VB from MSOFFICE VBA, and applied it to VB6, where I have 10,000+ lines of code written for my complex project (4 years in the making)!

 

[Ken g6]

C++. Once you know C++, especially any kind of Windows C++, you can pick up VB in a week! It might help, if you can take both, to take VB first, just so you don't get lost. But CS majors at my college now start in C++. I think it's a lot easier to learn first than straight C.

 

[Soybomb]

What ViRGE said
c++ is just so much more useful i think.....perl is cool too though if you can get it

 

[Pretender]

<< where I have 10,000+ lines of code written for my complex project (4 years in the making)! >>

Had you used C++, you would've probably taken less then half that time.

However, I agree that C++ is more complex (too complex for some) and if you don't plan on programming ever again, I'd go with VB.

 

[Windogg]

Good points for both sides so far. My draw to VB has been its simplicty and easy interface with databases. On the otherhand C++ is far for versatile in terms where you can go I was thinking of taking both but I don't want to jump on one before I've had decent grip on at least one of them.

Windogg

 

[Linux23]

<< Had you used C++, you would've probably taken less then half that time >>


Actually, I would start coding when I was in the mood, and that was like every sat. morning before cartoons came on. And me, I kept adding features to my application, which increased my finish time.

Now i'm just developing the basic I/O subsytem of the app and then I can beta test it at work!

 

[Batti]

vi_edit has a good point in a vote for Perl. You're an admin, Windogg, and Perl is mighty useful in that area.

I use VBScript very heavily as an NT admin to create tools for all the things that are missing in NT. It's a unique niche that I can leverage to distinguish me from my peers. It's paid off handsomely for me. C++ has no business as a quick n dirty weapon.

 

[vi edit]

Yeah, and if you have a unix/linux box, and have a decent grasp on the O/S, then you can do some really damn smooth things with it.

There isn't hardly a programming language that interacts w/ the shell as well as perl.

It may be hard to pick up as a first language, but if you &quot;get&quot; it, then man, you are set to jet and really can set yourself above the rest.

 

[BoberFett]

For all the VB naysayers...

I have written shrinkwrap apps in VB that if they weren't using the VB runtime DLL you wouldn't know the difference. I get complements all the time from customers that praise our product over the competition, despite the fact that those apps were written in C++. The end product is related more to the planning and care that goes into creating it than to which tool is used to create it.

Also, VB is excellent if you plan on building any kind of internal enterprise apps, database front-ends, etc.

 

Learn C#, you are guaranteed a skill that will last at most 6 months.

Hint: Java

Or if you want to have REAL fun: ASM

 

[DABANSHEE]

Well you could always try assembly

 

[chansen]

Bah! All wrong! LOGO is where it's at.

Craig

 

[Jonny]

Once you know C++, especially any kind of Windows C++, you can pick up VB in a week!

Umm, you can pick up VB in a week even have never programmed in your life.

 

[denali]

Windogg, Do you have any thing specific you would like to be able to do? What you want to do will greatly decide which language you should use. Since it sounds like you don't want to become a programmer, just write some usefull utilities I would not suggest C++. If you let us know what it is you plan on doing with your new found programming ablities suggesting a language would be easier.