[protomyth]

Visual Basic got torpedoed by Microsoft during the .NET introduction. VB.NET and Visual Basic just aren't the same language. Visual Basic would have been much better off not to be included and remained a separate product. Microsoft wanted it as part of .NET but not enough to make it anything but a C# skins.

[kgwxd]

VB would have died immediately, as it should have, if MS didn't bring it along on the .NET ride. I've spent thousands of hours maintaining code I knew (with 100% accuracy) would be dead in less than 5 years, simply because it was VB, because of MS' choice. Anyone that chose to be an eternal beginner didn't deserve to keep being a professional developer, but MS handed them that opportunity for a few years. I'm glad it's over.