The next version of VS.NET - due in 2004 - is now code named, "Whidbey" and you can already hear the Microsoft marketing drums beating about it. You can read the "top ten" list for Whidbey innovations from a couple of programmers by clicking here. And it's definitely by and for programmers rather than the sort of thing you get from the Microsoft marketing department. It's worth reading!

(By the way, one of the most anticipated new features that will be in Whidbey is "edit and continue" which was in VB 6 debug, but is missing in VB.NET. For those who might still be getting jazz from C# programmers, edit and continue was never part of C# and won't be in the Whidbey C# either!)

But the real reason that we're certain to get the Whidbey release of Visual Studio is that Microsoft is also going to be introducing a whole new SQL Server (code-named "Yukon") which will also have a Common Language Runtime (CLR) - the big .NET change for Visual Basic .NET - built into it. In other words, "Yukon" will become more like a development language than it already is. Visual Studio will have to be seriously upgraded to allow developers to take advantage of this change.

In addition to "edit and continue", Microsoft is planning some "dazzle the demo" enchancements in Whidbey. For example, the Intellisense feature of VS.NET that suggests code for you as you type will be expanded to included the Smart Tags that you see in Office 2003 today. So in addition to being able to complete "Boolean" for you, if you persist in spelling it wrong, Smart Tags will suggest alternatives in a menu.

If that wasn't enough, Microsoft is also planning yet another version beyond that - due in 2005 - and they even have another code name for it. It's being called "Orcas" in the press releases. The reason this one will be necessary is that Microsoft is busily creating a whole new version of their Windows operating systems that will be as much of a revolution as .NET was for programming. They're calling the new version of the Windows OS "Longhorn" (named for the bugle that Microsoft PR people blow to try to get your attention, I guess).

With new Visual Studio versions scheduled every year, some of you might be saying, "Hey ... I think I'll just wait until the rush hour is over and then jump in!" In fact, a lot of you are saying that. It's a major problem for Microsoft marketing! But a lot of you are wrong. Here are some reasons why you're probably wiser to upgrade and start the learning process now. If you plan to continue programming, it really boils down to a question of whether you want to go to VB.NET at your own pace now, or be forced into it later.

• The big break happened when VS.NET was announced ... everything into the future as far as we can see is going to build on that base. Unless you plan on staying with Visual Studio 6, you might as well get on board anyplace you can.
• Microsoft is tilting their marketing plans to make it cheaper to upgrade. Actually, they always have. And they're tilting their technical support that way too. Gradually it will become harder and harder to find good reliable answers about VB 6.
• The new stuff is tough - no question. But it's never going to get any easier. All you accomplish by waiting is to pile up more new stuff to learn than there is now.

... and the knockout punch of a reason, as far as I'm concerned ...

• You can simply do so much more with .NET than you ever could with VB 6 level technology. If you don't move up, you just won't be competitive.