Datasheet

Figure 1-3
It is a good idea to select Service Releases to check for updates. Microsoft has done a good job of making
software updates available through the Internet. These updates can include anything from additional
documentation to bug fixes. You will be given the choice to install any updates via a Service Pack CD or
the Internet. Obviously, the Internet option requires an active connection. Since updates can be quite
large, a fast connection is highly recommended.
Once you have performed the update process, Visual Studio 2005 is ready to use. Now the real fun can
begin! So get comfortable, relax, and let us enter the world of Visual Basic 2005.
The Visual Basic 2005 IDE
You don’t actually need the Visual Basic 2005 product to write applications in the Visual Basic 2005 lan-
guage. The actual ability to run Visual Basic 2005 code is included with the .NET Framework. You could
actually just write all of your Visual Basic 2005 using a text editor such as Notepad. You could also ham-
mer nails using your shoe as a hammer, but that slick pneumatic nailer sitting there is probably a lot
more efficient. In the same way, by far the easiest way to write in Visual Basic 2005 is by using the Visual
Studio 2005 Integrated Development Environment, also known as the IDE. This is what you actually see
when working with Visual Basic 2005 — the windows, boxes, and so on. The IDE provides a wealth of
features unavailable in ordinary text editors — such as code checking, visual representations of the fin-
ished application, and an explorer that displays all of the files that make up your project.
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