I have no intention of starting a flame war. So anyone out there who disagress with the following commentary, save your breath. Read what is actually written if you think you are seeing red. Don't forget, the OP asked about VS 2008.
Again, it is all a matter of personal preference. This is from my own personal experience of making the jump from VBA/LISP to .NET. There are extremists on both sides of this issue. VB vs. C#. Ignore any comments with biased, one-sided views.
If you wish to learn programming, then I would suggest VB for absolute beginners. Many find it less confusing to read and write, and the compiler is very friendly. The VB IDE is very helpful in nudging into correcting coding errors on you current line being edited before you complicate the situation by creating more lines of codes with coding errors. The VB IDE helps you to write VB, is not focused to help you learn the Framework.. It is highly intuitive for writing VB.
If you wish to learn .NET, then I would steer towards C#. The C# IDE is superior to the VB IDE when it comes to learning about the Framework. It prompts for ,NET types from the first keystroke. The VB IDE does not do this unless you type "Me" or some other symbol for an instance variable. The C# IDE is less intuitive than the VB IDE when ti comes to writing C#. The C# IDE makes up for this with easier to use generators than the VB counterparts. It also offers a more bells and whistles that are geared for Framework development which the VB IDE lacks.
No matter which language you choose to use---learn both!!!---there is one thing you must do. Find a friend. Introduce yourself to the Object Browser Window, OBW, and make it your newest best friend.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/exy1facf(VS.90).aspx
The OBW is excellent for searching or types and methods within the Framework. The information it displays provides an invaluable perspective on the code. The window appears within the same IDE pane as the Code Editing Window. This was done because of what the OBW actually shows you. Your source code shows you how your code appears to you the developer. The OBW shows you how your code is seen by other other code. This last is a critical perspective that takes most folks a short time to really appreciate. I am talking about the proverbial light bulb going off in your head.
I suggested that you learn both. This is because most texts on each language teach you how use the Framework with the respective languages. However, most texts focus on different parts of the Framework and/or vary in how deeply various topics are covered, if at all. The VB texts tend to cover more of the Framework, but in less detail. The C# texts tend to cover the more complex types, in many cases in more detail.
Hope this helps.
Rudy =8^D
