Can anyone come up with a valid argument against my subject?

I can't. VB has no compiler. It's slower. Also, Java is cross platform.

No, I can't.
Java is much better regarding everything.

both are slow and for programmers that dont know how to use pointers

Somebody be the devil's advocate, please!

1) Java is not made by Microsoft and therefore cannot be certified 100% compatible with the Microsoft operating system. The usability of any java code relies on its virtual machine and just-in-time compiler, which vary from implementation to implementation. The Visual Basic runtime library is produced by the maker's of the platform it runs on. Therefore it can be assumed to work flawlessly (barring bad code provided by the programmer) and seamlessly with the windows environment.

2) While downloading the java development kit does produce a workable programming evironment, rapid application development (RAD) does not exist by default in the java environment. Additional purchases and/or downloads are required to make java as remotely useable as Visual Basic.

3) By default, Visual Basic handles all Windows APIs. Embedding Internet Explorer into your application is as simple as dragging the proper control onto an open form. Java does not support these features natively, nor can it natively intercommunicate with other VBA enabled programs such as Word or Excel. Java was designed as a cross platform environment and, therefore, must bow to the lowest common denominator. Visual Basic exists only for Windows. Therefore, it can take advantage of Windows-only code that java could only dream of.

4) Programming for the internet is much easier if one uses Visual Basic. ASPs use a form of basic similar to that in Visual Basic. Many of the same constructs are possible so the programmer does not have to learn a new language just to write an interactive web page. 80% of the world's web hosts run windows and it follows that many of those are ASP enabled. PHP, JSP and others are used so infrequently, it would not be cost effective to use these languages for a website. If the site needed to change hosts, there would be a high probability that the PHP or JSP simply wouldn't be supported.

5) Visual Basic, where else can you make a fully featured, windows compatible executable in 10 minutes? Try that with jdk1.4.

6) Again with the interconnectivity issue. Microsoft office applications provide very powerful intercommunication through Visual Basic for Applications. Ever tried programmatically reformatting all your documents at once with java? Bet you've saved a word doc as RTF just so you could read it with a text editor.

7) Okay, I'm reaching now. Bill Gates is the world's wealthiest man. If he thinks we should be using a basic derivative to program instead of a C derivative, he probably has a reason.

8) C is a very complicated and unreadable langauge and should be banned from application programming. C is insecure and is used to write viruses. Its design is flawed. Pointers are evil and should never be used. Any language based on C is likely to cause you major problems in the future. If you write code with a C derivative, it CANNOT BE DEBUGGED. You will have to start from scratch and hope you don't get any more bugs this time.

9) If space aliens needed to write all their code in java it would have taken them thousands of years to cross the universe. Instead they skip from galaxy to galaxy faster than the speed of light. How? Drag and drop.

10) Bunky the Space Rocket Pig says so.

Can you tell I still work for a company that uses Visual FoxPro?

I'll play middle man.

1) The assumption is on Microsofts OS.

2) Java's virtual machine and just-in-time compiler doesnt put it in a Indy 500 class.

3) VB is the only IDE that you can create a ready to deploy application while our taking a crap! With a laptop that is.

3) Java is a beautiful display of a OOP clear thought. But lets face it when we have a need for speed and core power we all use C or C++.

4) What we need is Java's pure class base & garbage truck, Visual Basic's ease of use and C++'s performance.

5) Hey Apple, I'm suprized that MS is still supporting Foxpro. But you would be amazed at how many contracts I get because I know it FoxPro or Cobal.

Man oh man! The logician in me just begs to refute most of what's been said here. I don't remember the last time I've seen so many fallacies and false statements in such a small chunk of text. Even your original statement smacks of subjectivity.

Having written programs in both, I'll tell you that from my own personal experience, they each have their place, and their advantages, and their disadvantages. For most general purpose programming, I much prefer Visual Basic, just because of the major limitations of Java. There are some things you just can't do in Java. Portability has it's price. Visual Basic actually has the same problem, though to a lesser extent.

If my employer ever gave me the choice between VB and Java, I'd probably look for another employer.

You'd have to define what superior means.

1) Does it mean it will work on any OS?

2) Does it mean that you can knock up specific programs quickly in a specific OS? VB is great for MS stuff but you couldn't use it on Unix, pSOS, PalmOS, QNX or VxWorks.

3) Does it mean that it is so complicated that nobody has written a compiler for it? This was one of the arguments that Algol 68 was superior to Pascal. Java and VB both have compilers, well sort of in .net.

4) Does it mean that the code generated is more efficient? ++x will generate an inc instruction which most assemblers have. x=x+1 will not unless some optimization is done.

5) Is it more readable: this is very personal: you'd have to define what you understood by readable. Is ++x more readable than x=x+1. It is possible to write structured readable programs with gotos. Just because there is a goto doesn't mean it is a bad thing. You can always add a comment to make something readable.

6) Will it support recursion? Does it matter if it doesn't? Again, one of the arguments that the Algol family was superior to the Cobol or Fortran families.

7) Does it mean the language has esoteric more features? C++ has lots of features: lots more than java. I've yet to find a use for the .* operator. In 12 years, I've never found a need for it. Other than Cobol, no other language I know of has the "MOVE CORRESPONDING" feature. Do esoteric features make a language superior?

8) Are languages with built in IPC support superior to those that do not have it? Does multi threading and parallel processing come into the argument? Occam, Algol 68 and Modula 2 support multi-threading and parallel processing as part of the language: not using external libraries like "extends runnable".

9) Does it mean simple? Any programmer off the street can pick it up within a day and can be an 'expert' in a couple of weeks?

10) Does it mean "Supports Object Orientation"? Again, another silly argument. Some places refuse to use OO languages because the ones controlling the project are nervy about abstract functions. We could say VB is superior because it doesn't have them (one less worry) or Java is superior because it has them (less case statements).

11) Does it mean it can be easily interfaced with other languages? With .net, you can call anything from anything. The MS demo shows HTML calling VBScript calling C# calling Fortran calling Java calling VB calling Cobol calling Perl. Very impressive. One of the few times that I was impressed that MS had actually done a good job.

12) Does it have multiple ways of saying goto (throw, break, return, continue) or is it really simple saying goto when it means goto? Perl is brilliant in this sense.

13) Does it have built in support for commonly used stuff like vectors and lists? Does availability of extensive libraries make a language superior?

14) Does it need a special keyboard? On some keyboards {} and [] are difficult to type. If everything is (), life is a lot easier or is it?

15) Does it support inline coding. On some languages x = (x + y) - (y=x) will swap x and y. Is this superior?

16) Will your program work with the latest compiler if it was written when the language was in its infancy? There are several variants of Java and Java Environments. The numbers are so similar, it is easy to get confused. VB just changes every other year and has variants in Excel and Access. Fortran II progams will not even compile in Fortran 95!

I could go on and on: this is just for starters.