Background

By understanding the background of Visual Basic, you'll gain insight into Visual Basic 6 and you'll be better equipped to use Visual Basic. Microsoft based VB on a programming language written for beginners called BASIC. Its a language used by more programmers than any other language in the history of computing. Visual Basic has evolved from the original BASIC language and now contains several hundred statements, functions, and keywords, many of which relate directly to the Windows GUI.

BASIC stands for Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code

Beginners can create useful applications by learning just a few of the keywords, yet the power of the language allows professionals to accomplish anything that can be accomplished using any other Windows programming language.

Computer Programming languages are easier to learn than foreign languages.

Visual Basic Editions

Visual Basic is available in the following three versions:

• Visual Basic Learning Edition: It allows programmers to easily create powerful applications for Microsoft Windows and Windows NT®. It includes all intrinsic controls, plus grid, tab, and data-bound controls. A multimedia CD-ROM called Learn VB NOW comes with the package plus the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN™) Library CDs containing full online documentation.
• Visual Basic Professional Edition: It provides computer professionals with a full-featured set of tools for developing solutions for others. This edition includes a full set of tools and wizards that help you package and distribute applications.
• Visual Basic Enterprise Edition: Created for team programming environments and client/server computing where applications distribute processing and data among several computers.