Introduction to VBScript
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- ali_baba
- kmaxim
- xXSwordFishXx
- maxtorm
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» ali_baba - VBScript vs. JavaScript
Hi,First of all, welcome to Suite101. I am the contributing editor of JavaScript at Suite101. I have some basic knowledge of Active Server Pages and that's why I know VBScript.
I agree that learning VBScript is relatively easier. Its the easiest to learn if you know VB. Even if you don't know VB, learning VBScript will help you in learning VB, ASP, VBA and almost all Microsoft Programming Products.
But can VBScript compete with JavaScript? I think the answer to it is NO. You can use VBScript in your web page but that will not work on Netscape! And this means losing a large part of your audience. Isn't VBScript as a web page scripting language dead?
What are your comments about it?
-- posted by ali_baba
» kmaxim - Re: JavaScript vs VBScript
Dear JavaScript CE,
Thank you for your interest to VBScript page at Suite101. I share your opinion that experienced programmers mostly use JavaScript for DHTML. According to statistics, about 44% of internet public use Internet Explorer and 40% prefer Netscape Navigator. JavaScript is supported by both browsers, VBScript is working only with IE. So if one is using exclusively VBScript for Web-pages dedicated for the whole world, one is losing about half of audience. However, to my viewpoint, this is the only advantage of JavaScript.
In some cases, browser statistics may be more favorable for VBScript. E.g., In Russia, more then 80% of people are using IE. So the developers of all-Russian web-resources are free for choosing the script language.
In Intranet, all users typically explore the same operation system. If it is IE, the Web-designers are absolutely free in language option.
For most public JavaScript is much more tangled and difficult language to learn and use correctly. Especially it becomes apparent in block of codes. Here are some obvious examples.
- You must use the ; character at the end of every line of code. Otherwise, crash.
- JavaScript is case sensitive. That means you must use var, not Var and for not For, etc. VBScript doesn't care about it.
- What kind of syntax is (x = 1; x <= 10; x++) anyway? The VBScript version "for x=1 to 10 step 1" reads like English.
- Don't forget to use brackets (the { and } characters) between blocks of code or JavaScript.
- The parameters to function calls (such as document.write in the above example) must be surrounded by parenthesis. In VBScript, they are optional.
- JavaScript uses the same character for concatenation as it does for addition (the + character) which looks much more ridiculous than & concatenating character in VBScript.
Moreover, JavaScript versions for IE and NN are different. A web-developer should debug the JavaScript code in both browsers and reveal the browser-related bugs. Otherwise, the code will be still accessable only for half of world audience.
To my viewpoint, the software resources of Suite101 are dedicated not for certified software professional, but for common people who are just starting to the world of computer technologies. And VBScript will provide much smoother and pleasant way to DHTML than JavaScript.
In the nearest future, I am planning to publish at Suite101 a special lesson on the matter of "JavaScript vs. VBScript" after passing the basics of VBSCript.
Yours, Maxim Karetnikov,
VBScript CE
-- posted by kmaxim
» xXSwordFishXx - Re: VBScript vs. JavaScript
In response to message posted by ali_baba:Well im kinda new with the whole VBScripting, DHTML, and JavaScripting, and i kinda disagree with the "its easy" part of you comment. I just got out of scripting for the mIRC network, and that confused me at first, VBScript, way more confusing to me. Anyway i was wondering if you knew of any Good Vbscriping tutorials, and where i can get them, if there free. Im 17 and out of work so paying for even cheap things like that is highly expensive to me right now. I really dont use VBscripting for webpage use, i make .html "programs" using it. And with the little knowledge i have on VBScripting, they arent turning out to healthy looking, so im asking for help from some who may know where i can get a beginners guide to VBScripting at??
-- posted by xXSwordFishXx
» maxtorm - Editor for VB script
HI,I need to use VB script for purposes like starting programs on the windows startup and entering keystrokes etc..
I need to know of a good editor to use as i don't intend to use VB scripts for an internet-related application.
so what editor/IDE to use then ?
-- posted by maxtorm
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