Chapter One
Welcome to Visual Basic .NET

The goal of this third edition is to help you come up to speed with the Visual Basic .NET language even if you have never programmed anything before. You will start slowly, and build on what you learn. So take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and tell yourself you can do this. No sweat! No kidding!
Programming a computer is a lot like teaching a child to tie their shoes. Until you find the correct way of giving the instructions, not much gets accomplished. Visual Basic .NET is a language in which you can tell your computer how to do things. But like a child, the computer will only understand if you explain things very clearly. If you have never programmed before, this sounds like an arduous task, and sometimes it is. However, Visual Basic .NET gives you a simple language to explain some complex things. Although it never hurts to have an understanding of what is happening at the lowest levels, Visual Basic .NET frees the program ... read full excerpt from Beginning VB.NET 2003 ebook