Microsoft Visual Basic

Microsoft Visual Basic is the best programming language considering its easiness to learn and do programming, its widespread use, applications, etc.

But it only supports Windows Operating System. Visual Basic 6.0 is the software package that was launched in the time of Windows 98. Visual Basic 6.0 uses the same programming style of Visual Basic versions up to 5.0.

Visual Basic is used by both programmers and non-programmers in the sense it is so easy to learn and use. So, many home users are doing programming in it, mainly for automation and for the fun of programming.

It features an IDE or Integrated Development Environment where you have 2 interfaces, the Code View and the Design View. In the Design View, you can design the program interface or the GUI. It is really easy; we can drag and drop the necessary buttons, text-boxes, pictures and even flash content and media player right from the toolbox.

Now the shockwave / flash can be used as an addon; or by the help of a DLL which is included when you install flash player. Almost all the software you install in windows have a progammable part or API, which can be used very easily with Visual Basic. Just tick the option from "Components" list and you will have it in the toolbox. It is done by the ActiveX DLL files.

In the code view, you may write the code for the controls (buttons, textboxes, etc) you have in the program. Just double click any button and you go into the code view with the function to run when a button is clicked, whose code is automatically generated.

The most important thing, help. Help is provided by MSDN program which comes with Visual Basic. It is an offline version of the "MSDN" website, with necessary contents ( which include all the functions used in the program with its definitions and code examples). It is really great.

There are many versions of Visual Basic 6.0: Professional, Enterprise and Express.Express version is free, but has almost everything in other versions except some advanced programming.
Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 is now outdated, but still a great program to start programming. Many new versions are available like 2008.