Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition [Old Version]

by Microsoft

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00002SFK8
• Item model number: 046-00378
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 24, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,569 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #52 in Software > Programming > Programming Languages
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Visual Basic has gained popularity over time because of its ease of use and easy acquisition. It's a hearty language, and allows for both stand-alone Windows programs and Web applications. With this in mind, Microsoft has met the needs of many seeking entrance into the wonder that is VB: Visual Basic 6.0, Learning Edition. Melding a standard version of Visual Basic 6.0 with a multimedia lab/tutorial polishes this product and makes VB even more attainable to those without a degree in computer science.

The learning portion of this package was written and designed by Michael Halvorson, an eight-year technical editor at Microsoft Press. Also included in the package is a 218-page reference manual that contains excerpts from three beginning-to-intermediate level books also written by Halvorson: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Step by Step: Learn by Doing, Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Programmer's Guide: Comprehensive Product Guide, and Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Developer's Workshop: Learn by Example.

Getting into the tutorial includes a five-minute video presentation about the tutorial itself. And, for those who may experience hearing difficulties, or those who wish to study Visual Basic while the kids are asleep, closed captioning is available for all of the narrated demonstrations. The narration, both in audio and printed form, is lively and witty, and unexpectedly allows the creator's zest for the topic to come through.

Just like in high school, each lesson is structured in a comfortable format: lecture and demonstrations, followed by a set of labs and a quiz. By no means must you start at the very beginning. Scanning some of the quizzes and activities may help you place yourself at the right spot on the learning curve--may that be introducing yourself to basic programming concepts or sharpening your existing knowledge by addressing ActiveX controls or how to use Automation technology.

The tutorial and lab direction components of your learning are entirely separate from the actual Visual Basic programming environment. This means that rather than learning programming in a controlled setting, you'll be up to your elbows in the real thing. This facet of the package allows for side-by-side work--as you take your cues from the lab's directions (and yes, they often follow the empirical format), you'll then forge your own programming path in creating your own application, often from scratch. Beginners start out with the creation of an on-demand time display; more advanced users will create database front-ends and learn to manipulate the contained data.

The package is truly a complete first step in a foray into Visual Basic. Aside from the tutoring component, you will also be able to install the Microsoft Developer's Network Library. Once you're familiar enough with Visual Basic, you can stretch your learning with this documentation and programming information. The library contains over a gigabyte of information--code samples, how-tos, and general reference--that you can also access directly from the disc, rather than tying up hard drive space. --Emilie Dirks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars At $84.99, I wish it had more, August 7, 2000

By 

"t0rg0" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

A couple of people have made critiques about the "book". What book? There is no book! You get a leaflet on installation and oh yes, there is this thing that gives you sample chapters from three actual books on Visual Basic 6.0. They were Microsoft Press products, of course. The entire program is via a CD.

It was slow going for me at first, I had to constantly adjust the various windows from both the tutorial and from the actual Visual Basic 6.0 compiler to view everything I needed. I was using 1152 by 864 resolution. Fortunately after a while, I learned how to size and place things so that I would need little readjustment later. You will spend the first 10% to 20% of the course becomming familiar with the Visual Basic programming environment before delving into actual code. It took a bit of getting used to. I had been previously using C++ and QBASIC compilers for short math/physics related programs (I am getting a mechanical engineering degree). At first you will spend most of your time learning what icon does what and what window is for what.

The tutorial became easier after I knew what icon to click or what window to open. There are "videos" of programming that you can just watch but should either mimic step by step or follow making your own variations in code.

There are tweleve quizzes with about seven questions each. If you had done some programming before, you can usually guess most of the answers after only skimming the text. I wish the program gave me more objectives, however (writing my own versions of what I was SUPPOSED to write wasn't enough). I completed the course still a bit weary about starting a project. I'll have to go back over some parts of the course before starting something even remotely complicated.

Keep in mind that this course really only covers the fundamentals. It ends with the basics of object-oriented programming. If you want to learn enough Visual Basic to be capable of professional work, you'll probably need to buy an intermediate or advanced level book on VB 6.0.

75 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Visual Basic 6.0 LE Differences Between the Editions, May 9, 2001

By 

Brian Desmond (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

Microsoft provides the Learning Edition in my opinion as a starting point for programmers in Visual Basic (VB) and the other languages they sell IDE enviroments for, as I do not know of any other learning edition products by them.

The product comes boxed up for $... as of now, and this is a very good price for an integrated devleopment enviroment (IDE), especially by them - the professional edition costs several hundred dollars more, and the enterprise edition - a thousand or so more.

The learning edition comes with several tutorials, but those aren't mine to speak of because I skipped them 9 I bought Visual Basic Step by Step by Micheal Halvorson, Microsoft Press instead).

Moving along, the learning edition does not have several things that the professional edition offers, just as the enterprise edition has several things the professional edition doesn't have available.

The learnign edition is meant for beginners who don't plan to do any higher scale programming - it doesn't come with the MAPI email control nor the Internet transfer control, so internet programming with Microsoft controls is not an option - Also not available are "User Controls" these are a special type of Visual Basic project that are similiar to regular ActiveX controls. These things allow reusable graphical interfaces which are pre programmed to be inserted into the program. Also not available are property pages - something used when creating a compiled ActiveX control. And finally for soem odd reason User Documents aren't insertable - Not sure why though.

The Professional edition comes with extra controls such as the MCI audio and Internet/MAPI controls. These can be useful, and I use third party controls for doing these tasks as I do not need the extra features of the Professional Edition, which I will discuss briefly in a moment.

The learning edition is meant for beginners, hence the name 'learning' edition. As such it does not include any of the more advanced compiling options and project types. There are things such as what kind of CPU code should be outputted ot the binary, or what type of machine it shoudl be compield for (16 BIT or 32 BIT)...

As the editions move up in broadness and price, more project types become available. In the professional edition the option to make compiled ActiveX controls and Dynamic Link Libraries is available. Moving up to the biggest - the Enterprise Edition, things such as Management Console snapins can be written (a tool for managing large networks).

Overall, Microsoft's Visual Basic development enviroment is not the most powerful, and there is much better out there. The things possible in VB are canned routines - getting deeper into the Windows Application Programing Interface (API) requires declaring long winded blocks of code with HEX constants and other values to call them.

Note: The API is for performing functions directly related ot controllign the Windows enviroment (i.e. making a program window stay on top at all times)

I've tried to sum up the differences and the reasoning behind how Microsoft constructed their Visual Basic product line as best I could, and if I am incorrect, I apologize - and please let me know.

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite worth the price - For beginners, June 13, 2000

By 

"dantan98" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

I was fortunate enough to have my company pay for this book forme. After finding it online for almost half off and then the upgraderebate kicked the final price down [considerably]. That's a deal for sure.

I am about halfway through the tutorial segment and so far, I am pleased. Although it gets a bit dry at times, once you suffer through it, it does give you very useful information.

It starts off by explaining the environment of Windows and then moves into the program, itself. It introduces all the tools and windows inside of the program. It walks you through the entire process of building three programs. If you show a large desktop (I used 1024x768) and reduce both windows to be shown simultaneously, you can watch the tutorial for what to do, pause it, and then go over to VB6.0 and do it! What can be more simple than that? You get to learn by doing. That's one thing that scored this program big points with me! Later on, more advanced topics (advanced for a beginner, anyway) are introduced.

Also, since you have all of the tools you need to start programming right away, it is very useful, indeed. There are some features in the Professional and Enterprise editions that are not available in this edition, but I believe there is an upgrade rebate to move from this version to those.

Thank you for your time in reading this review.

--Daniel