[JackOfAllTrades]

You may download any --or all -- of Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 Express Editions, including Visual Basic, C#, C++, Web Developer, SQL Server, and the abridged MSDN Library for free! There's even an all-inclusive ISO download available there as well!

Microsoft Visual Studio Express Downloads

[firebolt]

mhm...and why does VB6 still cost money?, I ask myself.
Thanks for the link though.

[deer dance]

Because if the previous version of Visual Studios was also free, everyone would download it, and no one would download the latest version.

[Core]

VB6 is officialy not sold anymore and it is not supported. You can only find it on eBay now but you will not get any support from Microsoft for the product. Also, even if they would make it free, I don't think it will be used more than it is now since the .NET platform offers a way more expensive set od development tools as well as possiblities.

[firebolt]

Is that statement only applicable for the US? My school has recently bought VB6 SP6 so that would collide with your statement. Or is this just a recent innovation?

[chris772]

firebolt, on 31 May, 2009 - 05:04 AM, said:

Is that statement only applicable for the US? My school has recently bought VB6 SP6 so that would collide with your statement. Or is this just a recent innovation?

VB6 is being phased out in favor VB.NET and other .NET languages like C#. According to Wikipedia, Visual Basic hasn't been supported since March 2008.

[Core]

@firebolt - I am not sure where your school bought Visual Basic 6, but it is not sold officially anymore. It is not supported by Microsoft either. Considering this document, VB6 won't be there for long. VB6 runtime will no longer be shipped in the future version of Windows (not Windows 7):

Support Statement for Visual Basic 6.0 on Windows Vista, on Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7, said:

However there are no plans to include VB6 runtime in future versions of Windows beyond Windows 7.

All this shows that VB6 is an outdated language/IDE and with available alternatives (.NET Platform) which can be obtained for free, it definitely makes sense to work with .NET instead of VB6.

[firebolt]

@Core, is this statement wordwide or just for USA?

[noorahmad]

Quote

is this statement wordwide or just for USA?

Science it is for all world then this statement is also for all world!

[VulcanDesign]

JackOfAllTrades, on 1 Mar, 2009 - 07:19 PM, said:

You may download any --or all -- of Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 Express Editions, including Visual Basic, C#, C++, Web Developer, SQL Server, and the abridged MSDN Library for free! There's even an all-inclusive ISO download available there as well!

Microsoft Visual Studio Express Downloads

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW:
VB 2008 is being sold free cause its the beta version. You would have to be completely crazy to buy a Microsoft beta anything. It (can) really messes up your system.

[Core]

Kind of a late reply, but I am going to say that VulcanDesign's statement is not true. Visual Studio 2008 is released officially as a stable build, and unless there is an explicit notice that the product is a beta release, all of the available products from the Microsoft website are ready to work in production environments. Express versions are included.

[secretfish]

I have downloaded for Visual Stdio Express 2008, thanks a lot for your helping.