"Visual Basic, however, while at the time representing a _fantastic_ entry point to development (at least it was for me), has been legitimately replaced by other, newer models, some of which the article notes."

Before VB setting up a GUI application was hard and required a lot of specialist knowledge, then VB made it easy, and its replacements on the web are making it hard again :-). I still don't know an easy way to set up a web with a database that also allows you to go into depth if needed.