Thanks very much for the pointers guys, that was good enough for an 
initial VB vs C++ '101' ;o)

The upshot is that at the moment, everything we do is database driven and 
very little about talking to devices or creating services.  So I'm alright 
with VB (and SQL). However, I hopefully have a project on the horizion 
that will require creating a service and, so I'm going to have to learn 
more about the subject....

cheers
andy

> Even worse VB cannot create a service with a program that calls MAPI
> even with calling the service control.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Marco Straforini [mailto:marco.straforini@c...]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 2:08 PM
> To: professional vb
> Subject: [pro_vb] Re: How to show Syntax highlighting in a text or a r
> tf box?
> 
> 
> It is simplistic, but it is true... :)
> 
> Other C++ advantages are that programs run faster, take
> less space and they can be compiled (with some care)
> across platforms (something you cannot do in VB that
> runs only in Windows). Another really bad thing about VB
> is that it is a pain to create and maintain services.
> In fact, there is no native way to do it, and you have to
> write a C++ dll to register a VB exe to run as a service.
> 
> And even this is simplicistic enough... :)
> 
> m.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Maly [mailto:maly@m...]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 9:01 AM
> To: professional vb
> Subject: [pro_vb] Re: How to show Syntax highlighting in a text or a rtf
> box?
> 
> 
> This maybe a little simplistic but (again IMHO)
> 
> VB is very good at reading a database and chucking the information on
> the
> screen and then saving it back.  It's string handling though while
> adequate for this is not wonderful.
> 
> C++ is v.good at lower level stuff eg talking to devices (printers etc.)
> Which is why Windows Linux etc. is written in C++.  Part of the
> advantages
> is the way in which it manipulates data types by accessing the memory
> directly. (I am not going fully into how C++ works here) What C++ is not
> 
> very good at (because it is over complicated) is reading from a database
> 
> and shoving it on a screen
> 
> I hope this helps.  It all comes down to using the right tool for the
> right job.
> 
>