PureBasic is not for the feint hearted though - it does it's own thing, it's own way, whereas VB is much more of a standard. I guess I see PB as more like a cross between Pascal and Basic - but it's very powerful. It's a bit like VB with it's pretty little face scraped off, and told to stop being so obtuse.
What sort of applications do you want to write?
VB is good for heavily user interfaced applications, where looks are probably more important than functionality. PB on the other hand is good for when you need to get into the guts of the problem, like access to running processes. PB has an interface designer, but it's nowhere near as good as VB's - you do have to get your hands dirty to make good interfaces in PB.
For example, my databases are all Access VBA, which is like a database system and basic rolled into one - great for making database applications really quickly. But the front end for everything, loading databases, shutting them down automatically, is a PB app that sits at the top of the screen the whole time. I wouldn't write a database in PB, and I wouldn't write a shortcut bar in VB.
Health, Ammo, and bacon and eggs!
