- HISTORY
VB 1.0 was introduced in 1991. The drag and drop design for creating the user interface is derived from a prototype form generator developed by Alan Cooper and his company calledTripod. Microsoft contracted with Cooper and his associates to develop Tripod into a programmable form system for Windows 3.0, under the code name Ruby (no relation to the Ruby programming language).Tripod did not include a programming language at all. Microsoft decided to combine Ruby with the Basic language to create Visual Basic.
The Ruby interface generator provided the "visual" part of Visual Basic and this was combined with the "EB" Embedded BASIC engine designed for Microsoft's abandoned "Omega" database system. Ruby also provided the ability to load dynamic link libraries containing additional controls (then called "gizmos"), which later became the VBX interface
March 1992---VB 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.
November 1992---VB2 Debuts Adds ODBC Level 1 support, MDI forms, and object variables. First version to feature the Professional Edition.
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---VB3 Debuts Integrates the Access Engine (Jet), OLE Automation and reporting.
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---VB4 Debuts Permits you to create your own add-ins. Also introduces classes and OCX's.
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.
January 1997---Microsoft Office 97 Debuts Developer Edition integrates VBA into all Office apps (except Outlook which uses VBScript)
April 1997---VB5 Debuts Incorporates compiler, WithEvents, and the ability to create ActiveX controls.
October 1998---VB6 Debuts Introduces WebClasses, windowless controls, data designers, new reporting designers, and the ability to create data sources.
February 2002---VB.Net Debuts April 2003---VB.Net 2003 Debuts November 2005---VB.Net 2005 Debuts
- Features
Alternatively, a Visual Basic component can have no user interface, and instead provide ActiveX objects to other programs via Component Object Model (COM). This allows for server-sideprocessing or an add-in module.
Reading Source it.toolbox and wikipedia
