From: nospam@spamcatchers.com   
      
   To answer your question   
      
   The thing with .net is that you can write it in a text editor and still   
   access all the classes of the frame work so it's not like VB 6 where pro had   
   more controls then standard.   
      
   The difference is not so much what you can and can't do with the free   
   version it's more a case of missing the nice little features the full   
   version has plus flexibility in deployment options, reports and so on.   
      
   As the project files are compatible and you can run them both on the same PC   
   why choose?  go get the free one and if you want more buy Visual Studio it   
   can open your express project without issue.   
      
   Jan's point is valid in that VB 2005 is not simply an upgrade from VB6 it's   
   a new way of thinking and  VB6 experience can see you bumping into sharp   
   corners in .NET.   
      
   Having said that I must say I feel much more comfortable in VB 2005 then in   
   VB.NET 2002 /2003 Microsoft have done a lot to try and get the VB6 crowd on   
   side.   
      
   I am not sure how well that worked for them, it may be an interesting   
   thread, how many folk here still start  NEW projects in VB6 ?   
      
   I know until recently I was, especially if it was something that needed to   
   be done quickly, simply because I knew how to do it VB6,   
      
   It was working in ASP.NET that brought me across because there are real   
   productivity gains there over classic ASP.   
      
   Max   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   "Jan Hyde"  wrote in message   
   news:v4jvf2d94pld7gelsdru39rm9na9fbgjp8@4ax.com...   
   > "W C Hull"   
   > 's   
   > wild thoughts were released on Thu, 07 Sep 2006 03:08:53 GMT   
   > bearing the following fruit:   
   >   
   >>I know that I can download a copy of Visual Basic 2005 Express for free.   
   >>My   
   >>question is this.....   
   >>   
   >>I have Visual Basic 6.0 Professional and was wondering if anyone that has   
   >>used the packages can tell me if it would be better to go with Visual   
   >>Basic   
   >>2005 expres or standard.  Can you site reasons other than cost why one   
   >>would   
   >>choose one verion over another?   
   >   
   > Your choice - as long as your aware that they are two   
   > completely different languanges.   
   >   
   > Most people don't have a choice, if you have a large VB6   
   > code base then most are sticking with VB6, if your a new   
   > programmer, most are going with 2005 (since it's getting   
   > harder to obtain a copy of VB6)   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > Jan Hyde (VB MVP)   
   >   
   > --   
   > Belong: To take your time (Art. Moger)   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)