Comparative software - Visual Studio

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danoistheman

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I currently use visual studio to program small applications in Visual Basic. I am really interested in the MacBook Pro and just wondered if Visual Studio is available for Mac OS (which I don't think it does) But is there any software which would allow me to program in VB?

Thankyou for your help, this forum has helped me decide on choosing a Mac, I just need to clarify this one point.
 
Visual Studio is not avaliable for mac but there is a EXTRMELY good application development program called xcode included free with every mac (on the install disk) It supports Java, C, C++ and many other languages and has many of the nice features of Visual Studio.. although I will admit i love Visual Basic for writing quick and neat apps but I'm cross platfrom between Windows, Mac, Linux, and BSD so it really isnt an option for me.
 
As Dark Dexter said, there is no Visual Basic language on the Mac, but it shouldn't be too difficult to learn C++ or Java as you already have the knowledge of programming theory.
 
I don't know if this applies to mac (but mac uses the X windowing system) but there is a open source project called gambas that uses Visual Basic-esque code and makes Linux apps! I've had various degrees of sucess with it in Linux but you might be able to use it in conjunction with install X11 in mac. To be honest it would be easier to just learn C or C++ cause it teachers better programming habits and intorduces you to more importnat underpinnings of operating systems.
 
Also, Microsoft includes REALbasic with Office v.X/2004. RB is a cross-platform OO BASIC IDE that can translate VB projects. It can also generate Java apps.
 
If it's small quick-and-dirty apps you're looking for, you might also want to try Applescript or Automator (you even use both together!). Even though they are both scripting languages, with Applescript Studio and I believe the Automater editor as well, you can build complete applications with windows, menus, dialog boxes and the works.
 
Applescript is great if you just want to make small scripts to automate your own computing. I just read the missing manual on it, not a bad book at all actually. A book like that will quickly get you up to speed in a week or so.

I have began to automate the applications I use on my Mac.

I have used VB also, yeah it is good for quick stuff. But as I move into the Apple ways to do these thigns I think I prefer it actually!

MS is getting a bit stale these days I find anyway. Those that jump early are more likely to make far more money I feel out of Macs. By the time the masses get around to it we are already postioned to bleed people who need our skills.

Mac = cool / MS = stale in time you may be gald you tried the Apple way.
 
If you want to learn something quick and dirty thats very useful on multiple platforms, shell scripting. Learn about the shell first (its BASH btw, its the same in most Linux's as well, csh in FreeBSD) then learnt how to write scripts of commands, do that all the time on my servers to save time.. no fun automator for Linxu :D But shell scripting is alot more powerful and if ur looking for a job saying u can do it helps alot! :)
 
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