As a beginning programmer I've often wondered about which language to use for any given project. Why choose VB over C# if both compile to MSIL? Or vice versa for that matter. Where does Visual C++ fit in?
As you can tell, I'm sure, I am beginning Software development by learning with Microsoft technologies, and because of personal circumstances, I am self-taught with the use of books etc.
However, the matter of which language for which project has often baffled me. How can I know which one is best for any given project?
In anticipation of good advice, many thanks.

Well, languages have pros and cons, but it usually it's more of a preference. I prefere Java, it's simple, straightforward aswell as other things.

MSIL? You must be drinking the Microsoft Kool Aid, you only hear that one in their promo stuff.

As you've observed, for .NET, it all compiles to pcode no matter what language you start with. C# is the little darling of .NET and what they write most of their libraries in. All things being equal, it makes the must sense to use C# for .NET projects.

VB exists in .NET to lure VB classic programmers into the framework and given them the feeling of having a leg up. This is a false feeling, the two languages are different to the point that I made my VB programmers just rewrite the legacy stuff in C#; it was less annoying.

There are numerous languages that compile to MSIL, even COBOL and Python. They exist for two reasons. One, some people really like the language they're comfortable in. Two, probably more importantly, people want to be able to take work they're already done and make it work in .NET. All .NET language implementations, even C++, have to ultimately break down and talk to the rest of the framework, often making for a very for some unnatural seeming code in the foreign language.

EDIT: Grammar Gremlin

This post has been edited by baavgai: 23 Aug, 2008 - 06:51 AM

Well if we are being super frank about it, all language boils down to machine code. It's just preference. capability, and speed you are concerned with that dictates language choice.