Is visual basic .net the tool for the job?

[Zak McKracken]

Im coming from an embedded systems environment where I coded strictly in C. Recently I was laid off so I decided this is as good a time as ever to try and build a product I had in mind. The basic components are this :

1. User interface that presents user a multiple choice question. The interface will be simple but professional looking (ie not like some freeware)
2. Answer is sent back to server
3. The appropriate video is streamed or played locally followed by another multiple choice question. I will record the clips with a camcorder. I dont have any particular format in mind yet.

I dont have experience programming in Windows over the Internet. Is Visual Basic the best choice of language for this? I want to program it as quickly and simply as possible. If Visual Basic is the right choice then what version should I use? Standard or Professional? Finally, what APIs do you recommend?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Derek Stone]

If youre familiar with C, you might as well use C#, which is will offer you the same development time as VB.NET, since both are built on the same framework. Regardless, I highly recommend either language for the job, since the built-in Sockets class will provide you with your connectivity. Visual Studio .NET will also offer you quick and easy interface design, through its Windows Form designers.

Finally, what APIs do you recommend?

None are needed for something like this. The framework encapsulates them for you.

Standard or Professional?

Dont buy the Standard edition unless budget constraints force you too. It is far too limited for most, in part because it doesnt allow for the creation of class libraries and controls. There is a way to get around that, but simply avoid the problem in the first place and purchase VS.NET Professional.