Editing BASIC (section)

== Visual Basic ==
{{Main|Visual Basic (classic)}}
In 1991, Microsoft introduced [[Visual Basic (classic)|Visual Basic]], an evolutionary development of [[QuickBASIC]]. It included constructs from that language such as block-structured control statements, parameterized subroutines and optional [[Type system#STATIC|static typing]] as well as [[object oriented language|object-oriented]] constructs from other languages such as "With" and "For Each". The language retained some compatibility with its predecessors, such as the Dim keyword for declarations, "Gosub"/Return statements and optional line numbers which could be used to locate errors. An important driver for the development of Visual Basic was as the new [[macro language]] for [[Microsoft Excel]], a [[spreadsheet]] program. To the surprise of many at Microsoft who still initially marketed it as a language for hobbyists, the language came into widespread use for small custom business applications shortly after the release of VB version 3.0, which is widely considered the first relatively stable version. Microsoft also spun it off as [[Visual Basic for Applications]] and [[Embedded Visual Basic]].

While many advanced programmers still scoffed at its use, VB met the needs of [[small business]]es efficiently as by that time, computers running Windows 3.1 had become fast enough that many business-related processes could be completed "in the blink of an eye" even using a "slow" language, as long as large amounts of data were not involved. Many small business owners found they could create their own small, yet useful applications in a few evenings to meet their own specialized needs. Eventually, during the lengthy lifetime of VB3, knowledge of Visual Basic had become a marketable job skill. Microsoft also produced [[VBScript]] in 1996 and [[Visual Basic .NET]] in 2001. The latter has essentially the same power as [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]] and [[Java (programming language)|Java]] but with syntax that reflects the original Basic language, and also features some cross-platform capability through implementations such as [[Mono (software)|Mono-Basic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.com/2007/02/21/visual_basic_mono_linux/|website=[[The Register]]|title=Linux breakthrough for Visual Basic developers|first=Gavin|last=Clarke|date=2007-02-21|access-date=2023-10-01}}</ref> The [[Integrated development environment|IDE]], with its [[Event-driven programming|event-driven]] [[GUI builder]], was also influential on other [[rapid application development]] tools, most notably [[Borland Software]]'s [[Delphi (software)|Delphi]] for [[Object Pascal]] and its own descendants such as [[Lazarus (IDE)|Lazarus]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.theregister.com/2020/02/14/25_years_delphi_programming/| title = 25 years of Delphi and no Oracle in sight: Not a Visual Basic killer but hard to kill | website=[[The Register]] |first=Tim | last=Anderson | date=2020-02-14 | access-date=2023-03-25 |quote=''Enter Borland Delphi, which combined Object Pascal with a VB-like visual form builder. Object Pascal was Borland's own language, with full support for inheritance. It is case-insensitive and not much harder than VB for coding, once you get used to typing begin and end a lot (loosely equivalent to curly braces in C). Unlike VB, it sensibly has different operators for assignment (:=) and comparison (=).''}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/06/rad_basic_alpha_3/|title=RAD Basic – the Visual Basic 7 that never was – releases third alpha|website=[[The Register]]|first=Richard|last=Speed|date=2022-05-06|access-date=2023-03-26|quote=''Alternatively, one can relive the days of the whole BASIC/Pascal rivalry with Delphi-compatible Lazarus.''}}</ref>

Mainstream support for the final version 6.0 of the original Visual Basic ended on March 31, 2005, followed by extended support in March 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vbrun/ms788707.aspx |title=Product Family Life Cycle Guidelines for Visual Basic 6.0 |publisher=Msdn2.microsoft.com |date=2005-03-31 |access-date=2009-06-16}}</ref> Owing to its persistent remaining popularity,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2020/07/07/tiobe-july-2020-vb.aspx|title=Popularity Index: Classic Visual Basic Hangs In There|website=Visual Studio Magazine|first=David|last=Ramel|date=2020-07-07|access-date=2023-03-28}}</ref> third-party attempts to further support it exist.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2020/02/28/rubberduck.aspx|title=Visual Basic Resurgence? Project Seeks to 'Bring the VBE into This Century!'|first=David|last=Ramel|date=2020-02-28|website=Visual Studio Magazine|access-date=2023-03-28}}</ref> On February 2, 2017, Microsoft announced that development on VB.NET would no longer be in parallel with that of C#,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2017/06/13/visual-basic-future.aspx|title=Viva, Visual Basic! Or, Does VB Have a Future?|website=Visual Studio Magazine|first=Michael|last=Domingo|date=2017-06-13|access-date=2023-03-26}}</ref> and on March 11, 2020, it was announced that evolution of the VB.NET language had also concluded.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2020/03/12/vb-in-net-5.aspx|website=Visual Studio Magazine|title=Microsoft: 'We Do Not Plan to Evolve Visual Basic as a Language'|first=David|last=Ramel|date=2020-03-12|access-date=2023-03-26}}</ref> Even so, the language was still supported.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2023/02/08/language-update.aspx|website=Visual Studio Magazine|title=Microsoft Reaffirms Fate of Visual Basic|first=David|last=Ramel|date=2023-02-08|access-date=2023-03-25}}</ref>

[[File:TriBasicExample.png|thumb|Three modern Basic variants: [[Mono (software)|Mono]] Basic, [[OpenOffice.org Basic]] and [[Gambas]]]]