Interested in learning more about Visual Basic? March 6, 1988 Microsoft Buys Tripod Alan Cooper, the 'father' of Visual Basic, shows a drag-and-drop shell prototype called Tripod to Bill Gates. Microsoft negotiates to buy the concept, now code-named Ruby. The Tool includes a widget control box, the ability to add widgets dynamically, and a small language engine. January 1, 1991 PowerSoft's Powerbuilder Debuts DataWindow gives point-and-click SQL data access. March 20, 1991 Visual Basic 1.0 Debuts at Windows World Microsoft marries QuickBasic to Ruby shell app and gives it a new code name: Thunder. The result is the first tool that lets you create Windows apps quickly, easily, and visually. Features include a drag-and=drop control toolbox, codeless UI creation, and an event-oriented programming model. May 1991 Third Party Market Born Several standard-setting add-ons become available at or slightly after VB1's introduction, including MicroHelp's VBTools. May 1991 Sheridan Software's VBAssist Debuts First add-on to integrate directly into the IDE March 1992 Visual Basic 2.0 Toolkit (Rawhide) Released This toolkit integrated several third-party tools into a single package, putting controls in the hands of many VB developers for the first time. It provided instrumental in helping VB's third party market achieve critical mass. September 1992 Visual Basic 1.0 for DOS is released. Figure this one out :) The language itself was not quite compatible with Visual Basic for Windows, as it was actually the next version of Microsoft's DOS-based BASIC compilers, Quick BASIC and BASIC Professional Development System. Shree Vinayak Software Solution Page 1 November 1992 Visual Basic 2 Debuts Adds ODBC Level 1 supports, MDI forms, and object variables. First version to feature the Professional Edition. The programming environment was easier to use, and its speed was improved. November 1992 Microsoft Access Ships It brings VB's combination of extensibility, ease-of-use, and visual point-and-click emphasis to a Relational Database. It also includes a macro language called Access BASIC that contains a subset of VB 2.0's core syntax. June 1993 Visual Basic 3 Debuts Integrates the Access Engine (Jet), OLE Automation and reporting. It came in both Standard and Professional versions. Visual Basic 3 included version 1.1 of the Microsoft Jet Database Engine that could read and write Jet (or Access) 1.x databases. May 1995 Borland's Delphi Debuts The perennial preview for the features you'll find in the next VB release. Fall 1996 Internet Explorer 3.0 Ships Features include VBScript, which contains a subset of VB. It lets developers leverage their existing VB skills in Web programming. October 1996 Visual Basic 4 Debuts Permits you to create your own add-ins. Also introduces classes and OCX's. Was the first version that could created 32 bit as well as 16-bit Windows programs (remember that?) Winter 1996 NT Option Pack 4 Released Includes Internet Information Server 3.0, which includes ASP. Enabled VB programmers to leverage their existing skills on Web servers. Shree Vinayak Software Solution Page 2 January 1997 Microsoft Office 97 Debuts Developer Edition integrates VBA into all Office apps (except Outlook which uses VBScript) April 1997 Visual Basic 5 Debuts Incorporates compiler, WithEvents, and the ability to create ActiveX controls. A free, downloadable Control Creation Edition was also released for creation of ActiveX controls. It was also used as an introductory form of Visual Basic: a regular. Exe project could be created and run in the IDE, but not compiled. October 1998 Visual Basic 6 Debuts Introduces WebClasses, windowless controls, data designers, new reporting designers, and the ability to create data sources. November 1998 John Smiley writes his first Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6 May 1999 John Smiley writes his second Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6 Examples July 1999 John Smiley writes his third Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6 Databases December 1999 John Smiley writes his fourth Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6 Objects January 2002 John Smiley writes his fifth Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic.Net February 2002 Visual Basic.Net (VB 7.0) Debuts April 2003 Visual Basic.Net 2003 (VB 7.1) Debuts March 31, 2005 Mainstream support for Visual Basic 6 ends October 18, 2005 Visual Basic.Net 2005 (VB 8.0) Debuts Shree Vinayak Software Solution Page 3 October 18, 2005 Visual Basic.Net 2005 Express Version Introduced May 16, 2007 John Smiley writes his sixth Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic.Net 2005 Express November 19, 2007 Visual Basic.Net 2008 (VB 9.0) Debuts November 19, 2007 Visual Basic.Net 2008 Express Version Introduced March 31, 2008 Extended support for Visual Basic 6 ends August 16, 2008 John Smiley writes his seventh Visual Basic book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic.Net 2008 Express Shree Vinayak Software Solution Page 4 .