Porting to VB.NET would not necessarily involve using a web browser interface.
BTW, Adrianus, you can get MS Visual C++ in an “Express” edition for free. I don’t know if it will do everything you need, but it’s worth a shot.
Thanks, Lex. It’s not the tools that I lack but the specialist knowledge and experience required. I persevere, though. I’m a sufficient ass that carrot or cake, it’s the same to me. “Will work for food!”. It’s a pride thing!
Gratias tibi, Lex. Non instrumenta sed scientia peritiaque specialis quae carent. Duro autem. Artocreas mihi ut carota asino. “Laborabo escae!” Res superbiam spectat!
Lex:
Yes, I see Microsoft finally responded to the barrage of criticism from customers (developers) who felt they’d ‘been deprived of their assets’.
For example, Wikipedia notes:
Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition does contain the Visual Basic 6.0 converter, so it is a way to evaluate feasibility of conversion from older versions of Visual Basic.
However, many think:
… the cost in terms of redevelopment effort is too high for any benefits that might be gained by converting to VB.NET …
So chances are I’ve ‘lost my assets’. Maybe I’ll check out the latest offerings anyway. Just think if I could find someone to do the job for me. 
Cheers,
Int
My point with my last post was not about a conversion tool, though. I was just pointing out that a VB.NET app doesn’t have to be a Web Forms app. It can be a Windows Forms app. So the differences wouldn’t be that radical; you’d just have to do some translation. And the GUI development IDE is similar, although admittedly not the same.
If you don’t want to make any porting effort whatsoever, probably so. Microsoft invested so much into .NET, that one’s only options with them now appear to be some flavor of .NET, or C++, and backwards compatibility be damned!
There’s a lot of good study material on Visual C++ out there if you know where to look and are persistent; like rapidshare.com, for instance. 
Lex:
Points taken. Thanks!
Cheers,
Int
I have good study material coming out my ears, Lex. It’s not the instruments; it’s the effort and time required that weighs heavy. The trick is starting. What is started is half done. I have too many reasons not to start.
Sunt copiosa instrumenta discendi. Quàm magnum est conatus et tempus quod requiritur. Opus est incipere. Dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet. Tot tantisque rationibus procrastino.
Ah. I understand completely. I’m the same way with language study. I have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to study material, partly thanks to Textkit, but it’s making myself hunker down and do some work that is the hard part.
Well, as a llama, Lex, you have the advantage of being able to take in more oxygen and of having nice wool, so you can go higher and carry more.
Facilius tibi est, Lex. Tu llama glama altiùs ascendere potes quià plus oxygenii exceptandi et maius onus portandi capax, non minùs munda lana tua.
Yes, that is true. We camelids are superior to you simians in many ways. If only we had opposable thumbs… sigh