Reply to: VBA Consultancy Contract in Basel, Switzerland

[Stan.goodvibes]

Nothing is passé if it earns you good money, particularly if the herd moves onto other things.

I was just singing to myself...

But given that COBOL and GUPTA contractors can still (occasionally) earn top $, you are not wrong.

[cojak]

hahaha.

Man VBA is so 1997! I switched to VSTO a while back. It's like Excel programming for Real Men.

I never thought you'd be a flunkie, because VBA is so passe'

Nothing is passé if it earns you good money, particularly if the herd moves onto other things.

[Stan.goodvibes]

Mini BOOM!!

hahaha.

Man VBA is so 1997! I switched to VSTO a while back. It's like Excel programming for Real Men.

I never thought you'd be a flunkie, because VBA is so passe'

[Scrag Meister]

Mini BOOM!!

[NotAllThere]

And you expect to find one among the dross who frequent here?

No, but you never know.

Anyway, we've found our consultant now - through this board, I should add - so the requirement is now filled.

[Scrag Meister]

I only do VBA

Me too, well any Basic really, except .NET so far

Basic has kept me employed/in contract for 25 years so can't complain.

God Bless Jack Tramiel.

[BoredBloke]

You were asking about learning C# the other day. Which is kind of my point - people that know VBA usually don't just limit themselves to that one language.


[PS: FWIW, in light of what you say about your VBA background, I'd suggest that VB.Net might be the more a appropriate introduction into .Net for you, as it'll help you learn the concepts of .Net from within an already-familiar syntax. Whether you use VB.Net or C#.Net after you're up to speed with what .Net can do is just matter of personal choice after that. They can both be used to build exactly the same types of solutions in .Net; only the syntax is different. ]

Yes I was but only because I want to add an extra string to my bow, but I don't think I would ever make it as a C# developer. There are a lot of VBA roles out there where they want some c# skills also. I just want to cover that base.

[Gentile]

I only do VBA

You were asking about learning C# the other day. Which is kind of my point - people that know VBA usually don't just limit themselves to that one language.


[PS: FWIW, in light of what you say about your VBA background, I'd suggest that VB.Net might be the more a appropriate introduction into .Net for you, as it'll help you learn the concepts of .Net from within an already-familiar syntax. Whether you use VB.Net or C#.Net after you're up to speed with what .Net can do is just matter of personal choice after that. They can both be used to build exactly the same types of solutions in .Net; only the syntax is different. ]

[Gentile]

Reality is though that for many companies it's still the preferred route for tactical fixes because it's quick to deploy and most tools built on it require no additional training as end users are already familiar with Excel etc. Especially in organisations held back by restrictive IT purchasing rules. Example - last year a client wanted a dashboard building, we selected a business intelligence software but IT refused outright, for no good reason. There was no other way around it but to build in Excel VBA.

I can understand why you lot hate it and how it's somewhat dated but it'll be here to stay for a while yet.

I didn't say I hated VBA. My point is just that I'm constantly surprised when agencies/ClientCos imagine you can only do those things you've been doing for the preceding three years. It's amazing how many companies wont consider you for a VBA role unless that's *all* you know how to do.

[BoredBloke]

Most of the people that know VBA are like that. Many of the people who know how to use it learned it in the late 90s and early noughties, before moving on to other more current technologies such as .Net. I don't know many of us that still exclusively develop in VBA, despite being able to do so blindfolded.

I only do VBA

[Vandalay]

Most of the people that know VBA are like that. Many of the people who know how to use it learned it in the late 90s and early noughties, before moving on to other more current technologies such as .Net. I don't know many of us that still exclusively develop in VBA, despite being able to do so blindfolded.

Reality is though that for many companies it's still the preferred route for tactical fixes because it's quick to deploy and most tools built on it require no additional training as end users are already familiar with Excel etc. Especially in organisations held back by restrictive IT purchasing rules. Example - last year a client wanted a dashboard building, we selected a business intelligence software but IT refused outright, for no good reason. There was no other way around it but to build in Excel VBA.

I can understand why you lot hate it and how it's somewhat dated but it'll be here to stay for a while yet.

[MarillionFan]

Contractor?

ftfy

[SimonMac]

It is one of a myriad of skills I possess.

I'm not a one trick pony. I'm a whole field of ponies.

Jack of all trades, master of none?

[Gentile]

It is one of a myriad of skills I possess.

I'm not a one trick pony. I'm a whole field of ponies.

Most of the people that know VBA are like that. Many of the people who know how to use it learned it in the late 90s and early noughties, before moving on to other more current technologies such as .Net. I don't know many of us that still exclusively develop in VBA, despite being able to do so blindfolded.

[MarillionFan]

You are nothing more than a lowly VBA code monkey? I thought the way you swagger with the big I am you had a real job

No, MF aspires to be a VBA code monkey. At the moment he's working for american's so anything would be an improvement.

It is one of a myriad of skills I possess.

I'm not a one trick pony. I'm a whole field of ponies.