[AccessD] Demise of VBA

Ken,

At present VSTO is included with VS.Net but it is also a stand alone
product that includes a standard version of VB.Net.  It isn't cheap, by
any means, but still cheaper than the full Visual Studio.   As for the
ease of the transition, that depends on what you have done in Access.
Have you worked with classes, child classes, loosely coupled code, ADO,
frameworks?  If so, you aren't going to have a lot of trouble once you
get used to the new object model.  The only thing that makes VB.Net
easier to move to than C# is the lack of the pesky scope indicators and
braces, etc., that makes languages like C# hard for VB programmers to
decipher.

I LIKE VB.Net and resist getting dragged back into VBA.  I wouldn't like
to have had to make the transition on my own without a team member who
was already conversant with VB.Net on hand to help, but I could have
done it, as could most of us.  I remember similar discussions when VBA
became the language of MS Office and we had to give up WordBasic,
AccessBasic, Excel Macro language, etc.  

As for alternatives, sure they're there, but if you want to keep the
familiar Access interface, they're somewhat limited because VS.Net will
be the scripting language for it.


Charlotte Foust

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Kenneth
Ismert
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 10:43 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Demise of VBA


VBA is a dead language -- I've been saying that for a while now. When
Microsoft stops updating a product, it's only a matter of time before it
sunsets it. 

There are two driving reasons for this shift, as I see it:

* VB6 and VBA have deep security issues. Microsoft is unwilling or
unable to address this.

* The VBA environment was included in Office, and Microsoft wants to
realize extra revenue from the sale of VSTO.

What does this mean for us?

* Vastly more expensive entry into development. Very likely, VSTO will
require a full version of Visual Studio -- no Express edition here.

* Vastly higher learning curve. You thought the current system was
tough? Try wrapping your head around a new language (don't believe the
bullshit that VB.NET is any easier to move to than C#), new IDE,
enormous new libraries (ADO.NET, BCL), and completely new methodologies.
Not to mention the radically new Access 2007 interface. 

My point is, if you have to re-learn everything, why limit yourself to
just Visual Studio? There is a universe of languages and development
evironments, all free, for you to explore. And, not crippled intro
product -- full-featured and free. 

You really owe it to yourself to explore the alternatives.

-Ken
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