Free VB.NET (standard edition) from Microsoft 20

[CubeE101]

FYI...

If you haven't already seen this, you might be interested...

If you are still using VB6 (like me) this is a chance to give VB.NET a try.

Microsoft is Giving Away VB.NET SE for watching and rating 5 tutorial videos...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/atthemovies/languageandfx/default.aspx

You watch 5 VB.NET training videos (for free), review them, and get a free copy of vb.net standard edition...

There are about 7 different categories, with a total of 100 videos, and you only have to watch 5, so there is plenty of variety.

A few that I suggest in particular are:
Controls>Tree View
Controls>Tabbed Windows
Controls>Extend a Control
Web Development>Interacting With Web Sites in Code
How-To>Accessing the Registry

Well, there is your first five that will get you a free copy of VB.NET !

There are Tons More...

Here is a list I threw together for Reference:


Controls
Checked List Box
Create a Control
Extend a Control
Notify Icon
Link Label
Tab Control
Tab Order Editor
Tree View
Context Menu
Error Provider
Help Provider
Splitters
ToolTip
Tray For Non Visible Controls
Validation Controls
Tabbed Windows

Deployment
Deploying the Framework
Side-By-Side Apps
Internet Deployment
Share Deployment
File Copy Deployment
Load From URL
Setup Projects

Development Environment
The Anchor Property
Block Selections
Clipboard Ring
Code Snippets on the ToolBox
Customizable Toolbars
Distributed Debugging
Dynamic Help
Incremental Search
Line Numbers
Menu Editor
Customizable Profiles
Server Explorer
Unified IDE
Backward and forward navigation
Bookmarks
Code Annotation
Cross-Language Debugging
Properties Persisted in Code
Automatic Docking
Hiding and Push Pins
IntelliSense Enhancements
Macros
Multi-Column Menus
Expandable / Collapsible Regions
Start Page
Word Wrap

Web Development
ASP vs. ASP.NET
Commerce Starter Kit
Compiled Web Applications
Free Web Hosting
Get Images From the Web
Reports Starter Kit
Update Running Web Sites
Caching
Community Starter Kit
Interacting With Web Sites in Code
FTP
Automatically Target Multiple Browsers
Time Tracker Starter Kit
Creating and Consuming a Web Service

Data and XML
Data Binding Part I
Data Binding Part II
Simple Data Driven Apps
Filling a DataGrid from Microsoft Access
Saving Database Information as XML
Reading XML Files
Transform XML
Validating XML
Write XML Files

How-To
Accessing the Registry
File System Watcher
Generating Thumbnails
Working with Popular Image Types
Print Preview
Sending Mail
Creating Gradients
Folder Browser
Image Manipulation
Nonrectangular Forms
Resolve Host Name
Transparent Forms

Language and the .NET Framework
Avoid Memory Leaks
Console Applications
Event Logs
Global Error Handling
Language Improvements
Performance Counters
String Functions
Visual Inheritance
Collections
Delegates
Exception Handling
Inheritance
Message Queues
Smart Device Application
Threads
Windows Services

As you can see, there are a ton of interesting topics.

This is also a good help reference if and when you get vb.net

Have fun at the Movies ;-) and Good Luck,
Josh Striblig

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[CubeE101]

Oops... here is the main page...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/atthemovies/default.aspx

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[WZUP]

CubeE101,

Just gave the link a quick look, how does it work?
How do you sign up?

star to you..

 

[CubeE101]

You click on the Link:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/atthemovies/

to go to the web site.

Then select any of the 7 categories:
Controls
Deployment
Development Environment
Web Development
Data and XML
How-To
Language and the .NET Framework

then select a video to watch by clicking either 56k or 100k under the description(s)

After you finish watching each video, fill out a short servey (takes about 30 seconds) and at the bottom fill in your email address (which is the way they track how many surveys you complete as well as send you the email you need after you have finished)

When you complete each survey a notice will appear telling you that you have completed x of 5 surveys and have 14 days to complete the remaining.

You then click the Back to Movies link and repeat the process 4 more times with different videos.

after completeing all 5 a new notice appears and you fill out the information on what products you use, your name, email, if you want to subscrbe to news letters, etc...

Then sit back and wait for the email they send you, which is the point that I am at.


Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[CubeE101]

heh...

Stupid Junk Mail Filters...

My Internet Provider's Spam filter trapped the email...

Then Outlook 2003 moved it to the Junk Folder...

Just a heads up if you have not recieved your Redemption code in your inbox...

In case you are curious here is what the email should look like...
(I X'ed out my info)

Dear XXXX XXXXXXX,

Thank you for your interest in Visual Basic® .NET and
VB @ the Movies. We hope that you enjoyed the movies.

To receive your complimentary Not-For-Resale copy of
Visual Basic .NET 2003 Standard Edition*:

Click here to access the Visual Basic .NET Standard Edition
fulfillment Web site.
Input your redemption code displayed below and follow the
instructions on the Web site.
Your one-use redemption code: XXXXXXX

For more information on Visual Basic .NET visit the Visual Basic
developer center at

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/

If you would like to experience the features in Visual Studio® .NET
2003 Enterprise Architect edition now online for 3 hours, - visit
the Visual Studio .NET Hosted Experience at

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/tryit/

We hope you enjoy creating applications with Visual Basic .NET.

Yours,

The Microsoft Visual Basic team



*Offer terms and conditions
Offer good only to first party recipients of a valid redemption
code email. Offer is non-transferable and the redemption code
is for one use only, limit of one gift per person. Product provided
is strictly Not-For-Resale. This offer is valid in the 50
United States, the District of Columbia, all U.S. military bases
that contain valid APO/FPO addresses, and Canada. Please allow
4 - 6 weeks for shipment. Offer good only while supplies last, or
until September 30, 2004. Microsoft is not responsible for lost,
late, mutilated, stolen, misdirected, or undelivered mail.
Void where prohibited.

Microsoft Corporation
One Redmond Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399

© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft,
Visual Basic, and Visual Studio are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries.

Protect Your PC: 3 steps to help ensure your PC is protected
Microsoft wants to help ensure your PC is protected from the
latest Blaster virus, as well as from future threats.
Please go to

http://www.microsoft.com/protect

and follow these steps today.

1. Use an Internet Firewall
2. Update Your Computer
3. Use Up-to-Date Antivirus Software

To get more information and resources about how to help protect your
PC, go to

http://www.microsoft.com/protect

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[egobbitz]

Excellent link. Thanks for the info.

Have a star.....


Nick

 

[Forri]

Damn i'm unlucky...why!! why do i not live in USA or Canada!!! (crying and sobbing)!!

hehe!

Thanks anyways ..some of the movies are entertaining and informative!

Nick

 

[strongm]

>why do i not live in USA or Canada!!!

Actually, a better question has to be why do MS continue to forget that they have foreign markets?

 

[mmilan]

Don't get me started on MS... I've just spent all weekend trying to get my website (

http://www.mjmilan.com)

to work with Internet Explorer, and failed utterly...

It works in "proper" browsers though, for which I expect you read Mozilla, Firefox etc...

If anyone on here dabbles in the world of web-development, particularly with CSS, I'm sure they'll sympathise with my woes...

mmilan

 

[Forri]

Strongm you're perfectly right! to tell you the truth i'm still waiting for ms to do something. The Maltese goverment (Malta...where i come from) had last year set up a contract with MS , they had to open up a development quarters for europe (as France was getting quite expensive!) and as yet a year or 2, if i'm not mistaken...nothing happened!

 

[CubeE101]

Maybe it was more popular in other countries, and they are tring to push the .Net market here in the US...?

I know I, as well as at least 90% of the people in this forum still use VB6 as opposed to .Net...

That, or they consider it a hit to the pocket book giving away $109 software packages, and don't want to pay for Free, oversea shipping...

At least you still get to see the 101 Help & Tip Videos for Free...

I know in most cases, a hand full of those typically run upwards of a hundred bucks...
And these actually seem pretty good...

They are short and pased fast enough to keep your attention.
And slow enough and Full of valuable information that you actually learn something...

I have had some BAD experiences with training videos in the past, and this has NOT been one of those...

I'll post back when I recieve it in the mail to give you an idea of the actual wait time...

Thanks for the stars everyone,
Josh

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[strongm]

>they are tring to push the .Net market here in the US...?

No. They've done stuff like this before, and it is generally because they have forgotten the market outtside the North American mainland. On previous occassions shouting at MSUK (I'm from the UK) has resulted in extended conversations running along these sort of lines:

"I don't think they'd be giving it away in the US, that's crazy, you must be mistaken"
"Ooh, we've investigated and you are right. I'm sure we'll be offering something similar soon"
"We've been told we cannot do a similar offer"
"We can do a similar offer, but we have to keep it just between you and me..."

>don't want to pay for free, oversea shipping...

Er...MS have manufacturing and CD duplication plants in outside the US, you know...

 

[CubeE101]

That's true...

I dunno, I guess the simplest explanation is...
It is MicroSoft after all...

And MicroSoft will be MicroSoft...

That does sound like bad marketing...
Do they forget that the internet is world wide...
And that anyone in the world can see their offer being given away only in America, excluding the rest of the world...???

I get your point now.

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[wraygun]

Thanks. Great Link.

***You can't change your past, but you can change your future***

 

[ZOR]

Just goes to show what the true value is. I looked around UK prices, but could not see a Standard Edition. Don't suppose you can do much with it anyway, with Developers editions around the £800-900 mark. Just hope BG plays fair and does not kill off VB6 with future operating system holes or something. Maybe if it extends to all countries and we promise to watch 100 films we might get it free?

 

[dilettante]

Well while you are waiting for the offer to be extended to you (or even if just waiting the 4 to 8 weeks for your free VB.Net Standard to arrive) you might consider an alternative:

The Open Source Development Environment for .NET

Just throwing it out there as an option. I haven't beat on it a lot yet myself. Does anyone have a "review" to offer of recent editions? I know it has improved a good deal in the last year.

Totally free, it supports both C# and VB.NET development at this point.

There is also the free Web Matrix at Microsoft's ASP.Net as well. Web Matrix is a free IDE supporting ASP.Net development. This even comes with a nice local-development web server.

 

[vb5prgrmr]

It is not that MS forgets about the rest of the world it is because the US has laws that do not allow certain types of software to be exported without first being cleared by the various government agencies. These laws do cover authoring software (from assembly to what the new language is or will be).

So if MS gets the OK to sell VB.Net to overseas clients at 100.00 USD it does not mean that they can then give it away. They have to go through the process with the USG all over again unless it is written in at the time of the origional application of exportation. However being how the USG tends to work the attitude may be free for allies is ok but not for others.

Then you have to consider the other various contries copyright laws and such.

Not that I am trying to defend MS, but I have run across these barriers before.

 

[strongm]

I thought the US software export restrictions (the requirement for a a written assurance or a validated license) were revised a few years ago, and that most (object-code) software had been decontrolled to GTDU status...

 

[CubeE101]

(MIS) May 25, 2004
Well while you are waiting for the offer to be extended to you (or even if just waiting the 4 to 8 weeks for your free VB.Net Standard to arrive) you might consider an alternative:

The Open Source Development Environment for .NET

Looks cool, get the program from the downloads section... (4.6 Megs)

And the Microsoft .NET Framework SDK from Microsoft (108.7 Megs)

I will have to give this a try...
when my new monitor comes in...

My Dell Monitor just quit working a day or 2 ago...
I assume it is the switch, since the power light does not come on, and the picture looked perfect an hour or 2 before it 'went on strike' ;-)

Now I am stuck with my old 15" monitor from about 4-5 years ago...

I had for... 15" Monitors SUCK!

Especially when you come for this 21" here at work...

But Dell shipping tends to be pretty fast... It will probably be here thurs or fri...

Anyways,
For all of those who do not live in US and Want access to .Net, Check out the link dilettante posted
(If you like it, be sure to leave dilettante a star)

And if you need some really cheap training (as in free, cheap) make sure you check out the link I posted.

Good Luck,
Josh

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[Forri]

Dilettante ..cool link and cool tool! will give it a try as soon as i get home this evening!

Thats nice, something free and most probably (as it looks like) very similar to MSs!

Thanks all