The divergence begins

less than 1 minute read

10 months ago, I wrote about the expected divergence between C# and VB.NET. I think we’re starting to see the beginning of this:

[Paul Vick](http://panopticoncentral.net/archive/2004/04/23/991.aspx): _Roy raises the question as to whether divergence between the languages like this is a good thing or a bad thing. While I'm sympathetic to his point about increased difficulties moving between two languages, it does raise the question: what's the point of having two separate languages if they have exactly the same set of features? Case insensitivity vs. case sensitvity, for example, is not reason enough alone for Microsoft to invest all the money that it does building both products._

I have mixed feelings now about my view back then that this would reduce the arguments between choosing C# or VB.NET. Maybe I was too optimistic. However, I still think that the potential is there to change the debate from a religious one into something more sophisticated dealing with the features present or missing in each.

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