The lack of features in previous versions of Visual Basic has made it seem like a beginner's programming language. Now, VB is called Visual Basic.Net (pronounced Dot Net), and it's new and improved. According to Harold Davis, author of VB.Net Programming, "Its new characteristics have caught the eyes of many experienced developers and this change has now made Visual Basic's features better than ever." (15). The Common Language Runtime (CLR) added trait is an example of how good VB's new attributes have become. It's definitely a step forward and not backwards. While there are still quandaries within CLR, it is still at its best.
             Deployment of Applications is now more safe and simpler in Visual Basic.Net thanks to CLR. Before VB.Net, running a program off of a CD (without installation) was not feasible in VB after version 3.0. Now, applications produced in the .Net framework can be designed to install with a simple XCOPY without any hassle. Just copy the files onto the disk, run the application, and you're good to go.
             The Common Language Runtime also has great multiple language integration and support. By enforcing a functionality that enables multiple language support called Common Type System (CTS), and by having complete control over interface calls, the CLR allows languages to work together more clearly than ever before. Previously, by using COM one language could call and use another language's components. Subclassing a component in a different language was difficult, and only advanced developers did such work. Now, CLR makes it straight forward to use one language to subclass another. VB can now inherit a base class written in C++/COBOL. We're talking full implementation inheritance, with no problems requiring recompilation when the base class changes.
             Writer Chuck Easttom said, "Even importing has been made better. It allows you to import other programming languages that ar
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