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not sure why your criticizing Visual Basic, it is a good language for Intro HS courses

Not in the US, where Java is required for the Advanced Placement exam in computer science.

Are you serious? You want a HS teacher to teach Java?

Java's no more complicated than VB.Net, imho the only barrier for new users is its use of C-style Boolean operators instead of using words. Oh, and the danged checked exceptions.

The problem with Java is mostly its enterprise-y frameworks. If you have a nice user-friendly GUI library that measures up to Windows.Forms for ease-of-use? Java's fine.

Bigger Point: It is already being done.

sure I live in the US and most of my college classes are based around Java but there is plenty of options to pick from including Visual Basic for an intro course, not saying that's the right option (it's not) but at the end of the day, it is the teachers preference and what they feel comfortable in, the person criticizing VB doesn't even have the merit to do so it seems

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