C# or C++ versus VB6 for Add-In Development

[jfathman]

Hello,

My Outlook Add-In, developed in VB6, works and is being sold
commercially.

I am considering my product roadmap. Since VB6 is deprecated by
Microsoft, do you think new versions of Outlook two, three, and five
years out will still support Add-Ins developed in VB6? Or should I
plan to migrate to C++, C#, or VB.Net?

When I began developing my Add-In 2.5 years ago, VB6 was recommended as
the most stable and least complicated choice. I recall discussion of
single installer support with VB6, which I have today, versus separate
installers required for different Windows/Outlook versions with a
non-VB6 implementation.

Would you still choose VB6 today for a new Add-In implementation, or is
it time to move to a different language? Is C# mature enough for
commercial Add-In development? Will a non-VB6 choice still complicate
deployment? What other issues should I consider?

Thanks.

Jim

 

[Ken Slovak]

I personally develop all my Outlook addins using VB6. There are still
problems with .NET languages and Outlook, including slower operation through
the COM interop, trying to support multiple versions of Outlook, lack of
universal deployment of the Framework and some other things.

No one outside of MS knows the support path for future versions of Outlook
but for Outlook 12 at least the best guess is that COM support will continue
as is. Beyond that is a crystal ball gazer's guess, but that still leaves
something like 4 - 5 years to go.

 

[jfathman]

Ken,

Thanks. Excellent input, as always.

Jim

I personally develop all my Outlook addins using VB6. There are still