Why is VisualBasic(.NET) needed?

Question

C++ / C#

Why does Microsoft keep developing VisualBasic.NET? After all, the language does not solve any problems, its syntax is not nearly shorter or simpler than C# syntax. Not a single serious application is written on it (to tell the truth, I have never seen software on it in my entire life). There are very few programmers on it and they will cost more. Decisions on it to support and develop are also very problematic.
However, Microsoft stubbornly continues to develop it. Question: why? Where is the logic? Of course, I understand that Microsoft and logic are not compatible things, but still?

Answer 1

What makes you think that Microsoft develops it, it rather supports it. There is no difference between VB and C# as such, it still turns into IL code. And this same code can again be decompiled into another language.
Perhaps they themselves have valuable employees who write in VB. There are people who know VB well and they like its syntax, because it is familiar to them. They can just pick up and start working.
Plus, if you do not know any serious application, it does not mean that it is not written.
I thought the time for coolhackers had already passed.

Answer 2

Prost))

Answer 3

There are several options:
1. At the dawn of VB.net, it was possible to switch from VB to development under .Net with the least amount of time. And given that automation projects can live for 10-15 years and they need to be supported (VB 8 was a very popular language before the advent of .Net and C #), then this is still relevant now.
2. There are people writing in VB for Applications. They also need to be given the opportunity to quickly adapt.
3. Not everyone finds C# and C-like languages ​​easier. To my ruby ​​colleagues, the "classic" syntax of C ++ seems to be something terrible, not to mention working with memory.
4. I met projects in which VB.Net was used. They are few, but they are. I myself used VB.Net 1 time 8 years ago. There was some thing that was easier to implement in VB.Net, and not in C#. I don't remember which one, I'm sorry.

Answer 4

The question is somewhat inappropriate, you can just ask: "Why Ruby, if there is Python?", "Why Audi, if there is BMW?"
Some things are really easier to implement in VB.Net. It also has a lot of projects, for example iGrid - the fastest WinForms-grid.
Open Odesk - full of orders on VB.Net.
If it is not clear what another person and company is guided by, then maybe this is a problem with your own logic?

Answer 5

I think the answer is even simpler than it looks. It's just that with the release of the .net platform, Microsoft wanted to win over programmers who use Visual Basic.
Of course, you can always relearn and start programming in C #, but this is not convenient for everyone, so if MS refused VB, it would simply lose a large part of the users, because they just like VB and they want to program on it.
Understand that if you do not know VB programmers or there are no vacancies on the exchanges, this does not mean that no one uses it.
And the point here is by no means simplicity or any advantages, although, for example, the LinqToXml code in VB looks more elegant.
Well, plus, as they rightly said, support for projects that were originally written in VB.
In general, it is strange, to be honest, to hear such questions in the community of people, where they still type for Internet Explorer 6. That is. you worry about a miserable percentage of users, but you are surprised at a huge army of VB programmers? )))

Answer 6

In general, if you think about it, everyone likes different things, right? Otherwise, everyone would write in the same programming language and use the same thing. Also here. There are different languages ​​besides C# and by creating VB.NET MS wanted to show this. She wanted to attract the maximum percentage due to the fact that people will like this or that language + like the API. There are a lot of projects in VB right now. Personally, I came across a 30-year long-term construction at VB. Terrible, yes, but there is such a thing. So in my opinion, the correct answer here is that all felt-tip pens are different in taste and color =)