[VS] VB.NET support

[yalexopoulosQ]

Product and Version [VS/VSCode]:
OS Version [macOS/Windows]:
IntelliCode Extension Version:
Target Platform or Language [e.g. Node.js]:

Steps to Reproduce / Scenario:

[Nukepayload2]

I think adding VB.NET support is easier than adding C++. Because VB can use the API usage telemetry data of C#. For example, if people usually write if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(str)) in C#, when you are typing If String. in VB, IntelliCode should suggest IsNullOrEmpty in the VB editor.

[popasUC]

Please add support for VB.Net in IntelliCode at the same level as C#.
Surely the lack of it cannot be for technical reasons, rather "political".

Why so little love for VB.Net in the past over 5 years?
Despite the cold shoulder from Microsoft, VB.Net is still at least as popular as C# (the latest TIOBE index shows it's still 2 X more popular than C#). Not only cold shoulder, but outright peer pressure (smells like bullying) where many (even prominent) VB.Net developers were scared into the "VB.Net is obsolete. You MUST use C# if you want to stay current" trend.

Are the Microsoft teams responsible for language evolution serving the interest of the Developer community or just the interests of {;} "professionals" who feel threatened by a more normal and natural language syntax? Well, now Python is taking over in popularity and, ironically, it has many of the VB.Net traits.

VB.Net makes programming so easy and natural, it had the potential to become the "Python" of .Net.
With a little bit more fair treatment from Microsoft (cannot ask for love where there is none) VB.Net could have made the top 3 by language popularity.

I chose the Microsoft platform over 30 years ago because they delivered on their mission statement to make software simple to use and easily accessible most of the time, with VB, Windows, SQL Server etc.
I hope Microsoft will continue on that path and keep VB.Net at par with C#.

[tom1417]

I would absolutely agree that VB.Net should be included into intellicode. VB as stated above has such broad applications to newer developers whereas c# can be intimidating to those who are not traditionally trained. Not only that, I personally prefer the natural expression that VB permits. Market VB as the Microsoft analog to Python instead of leaving it at the bottom of the list!

[Timgy1959]

I agree - I use VB.Net out of choice and prefer to use it to show beginners how programming works. Being an older programmer I have experience in how daft some language centric developers can be. Asking them to try resorting to writing the same in Assembler (as I had to for the much needed speed back then) usually shut them up.

[Spoelle]

Same here: include VB.Net please !

[moellnator]

VB.NET is my first choice for programming as well. As a scientist I always need a fast and reliable way of developing and testing algorithms, hardware control, data analysis, etc. VB.NET in conjunction with the Visual Studio makes rapid prototyping so simple, that I just need to think about the task not the code. This workflow would obviously benifit from IntelliCode for VB.NET. So, I also request the implementation.

[bdcoder2]

Alright - I'll be blunt - I think VB is a great language. Nearly every program / website / utility I have written is in VB.Net -- I started using BASIC over 40 years ago -- and still prefer it today (and yes, I do know how to code using at least 12 other programming languages).

However, it seems (recently) that VB.Net is being treated as a second class citizen by MS -- did anyone notice that only C# examples are present in the latest .Net features / documentation set? What happened to the VB.Net examples that used to be included?

ANY and ALL features available in C# should also be available in VB.Net (within language constraints of course).

Would it help if we rename VB.Net to B# so it sorts higher on the MS development list?

Either keep B# in step with C#, or just come out and say you will be dropping support for VB.Net by YYYY-MM-DD, to give us a big head start in porting code.

Thank-you for your consideration (and reading my rant)! :)

[AndreaLazz]

I agree with bdcoder2, VB.NET and C# should have the same features.

[Vicharian]

+1

[filippobottega]

+1000 😉

[OlafBr]

+ 2^64