Interview - Karl Moore, VB.NET Writer and Guru

Interested in .NET? Don't miss SitePoint's .NET Feature Guide -- it's an excellent resource!

I'm sitting here now with Karl Moore: well-known author, BBC radio personality, syndicated computer columnist and .NET guru. He's the man behind White Cliff Computing Ltd and, according to his Website, spends most of his time "playing with technology toys and then writing about them".

Is that a fair summary, Karl?

If it's on my site, it must be about right. I'm just a regular Yorkshire guy with two core passions: technology, and words. Put them together and you've got this chappie!

I also enjoy eating sprouts.

Let's get a little more background. For the purpose of those who aren't familiar with White Cliff, what does the company do?

White Cliff Computing Ltd is basically a big think tank for enthusiastic, exciting individuals. We all get together to produce fresh, innovative products for the modern world. One of our big projects right now is WebZinc .NET, a programming component which essentially replaces the need for Web Services.

More about yourself: how would you describe yourself? Creative, funny, logical... fat?

A bit of all the above. Except funny. Oh, and fat.

Actually, I'm starting to question the creative and logical bits, too...

Are you looking forward to the rest of the questions?

Like Da Vinci looked forward to stereo.

Your Evolution to .NET

Now, one of the reasons we asked you to take part in this interview was to talk about .NET. Obviously, it's one big move from Microsoft. Let's jump straight to the core: how did you get into .NET? Was it really as simple as it being "the next version of VB"?

To be honest, the shift came while I was gobbling down a couple of free Microsoft ice creams with Gary Cornell in Barcelona a few years ago. My online tutorials had been given a big thumbs-up, and we'd talked about putting them into book form. Then .NET came along and mucked things up.

Yes, I was reluctant to move away from the cosy world of VB6, but I enjoyed the early betas and began working with the tool full-time back in 2000. Eventually I wrote the book, based on VB.NET rather than VB6.

Was it really as simple as being the next version? It wasn't simple, no: it took months for some of the concepts to truly sink in. But it is still the next (all-singing, all-dancing) version.

Some people reading this will be wondering exactly what .NET is all about. The Microsoft marketing machine did a good job of mudding the waters for us all, and the technology is obviously huge, so can you condense the essence of .NET into a couple of sentences?

I guess .NET means different things to different people. Officially, it's a vision based on distributed computing, Microsoft's idea of different bits of different applications running on different computers. At the heart of .NET is the .NET Framework, with is basically a big base of code you can tap into. Many Visual Basic 6 developers enjoy thinking of this as an easier-to-use, more advanced version of the Windows API.

Did you consider other languages and platforms before moving to .NET?

Sure thing. I've worked with a large cross section of technologies during my time in the industry. In recent years however, I've found that .NET provides solutions to most of my development requirements. So I've stuck with it.

Do you know everything about .NET?

Hell no! The .NET Framework, which sits at the centre of the whole .NET vision, is massive. There are over six or seven thousand classes within it. I know a little about a lot, and a lot about a little. But everything? Oh no.

Is there anything you'd like to add to or change about the .NET tools, or the way they work (besides an auto-deposit of one cent into your bank account every time someone runs a Karl Moore app)?

As with any set of development tools, you always get a handful of little irritating omissions. Like the fact you can no longer edit code in debug mode, a feature old VB'ers took for granted. But I guess Microsoft need an excuse for VB.NET II...

Some people say .NET is nothing more than a glorified templating system. How would you respond to this?

.NET and a "templating system"? I suppose there are similarities. The letters "N", "E" and "T" for a start.

But presuming the "templating system" refers to the actual structure of the Framework, it's a little like saying a skeleton is just a well put together mound of bones. It's what's inside that makes it do its magic. And yet still, that skeleton is essential.

Did that make sense, or am I drunk again?