Need Full VS .Net?

[blabore]

I'm considering upgrading a VB 6 app to vb.Net. I've played around with the demo version and think the work to upgrade would be worth. Before I buy any new software, does anyone have any opinions on whether I need the full Visual Studio .Net (~$500 to upgrade), or if I can just get by with vb.Net (~$95)? I won't be writing any code in C#, so what advantages do I get with the full version?

[Guest mutant]

If you can get vs.net pro dont even think about vb.net standard for 95 :)

Standard is limited, it doesnt come with a lot of project templates, and things like that. Sever explorer is limited. And with VS.net pro you get vb, c#, c++. If you can get vs.net pro.

[blabore]

Thanks for the input. As I work in a small company, I'll have a lot easier time to convice the boss about a $95 purchase than a $500 one. I don't do any C#, C++, or J++ coding. My application is already buillt (in VB 6), so I also wouldn't be using many templates. I'm mostly worried in the standard version will somehow limit what I can do, such as the upgrade wizard, or deployment packaging. We currently use Visual Studio 6 Enterprise, and I rarely use any of the extra tools that come with it other than VB, so I wondering if I might do the same with VS .Net. Is there any specific reasons why I should get the full package?

[Guest mutant]

Upgrade Wizard is, quoting Nerseus from a long time ago :), a menace. It produces bad code. I would either recommend leaving your app as it is, or rewriting it in .NET. Deployment is limited in VB.NET Standard.

[Banjo]

I would either recommend leaving your app as it is, or rewriting it in .NET.

Wow, talk about hedging your bets!!

 

If you have a stable and deployed app then I would only consider re-writing it if you want or need to add some major new functionality. Don't re-write it for the sake of using .Net.

That said, if you're going to do a major re-write then you may as well go with .Net.

Edited May 1, 2003 by Banjo

[divil]

Standard edition doesn't have the upgrade wizard, but that shouldn't concern you since it's a pile of rubbish.

 

It also doesn't let you create DLLs, which severely limits the extensibility of what you can do. Also as somebody already said, the Server Explorer is limited.

 

I wouldn't settle for less than pro.

[blabore]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I was unaware of the dll limitation. I may consider just re-writing my UI in .Net, since according to MS my dll's written in VB6 will still be compatible. The only reason I need .Net in the first place is to incorporate some extra UI functionality. Pro sounds like it's the way to go. One follow up question; is the extra couple hundred bucks for MSDN worth it?

[Guest mutant]

Yeh, not only you get VS.nET pro but msdn library updates, operating systems, SDKs on cds, VS 6 PRO, and all kinds of interesting things. Its definetly worth it.