Website: http://www.abiro.com

·        How long have you been using VB?

Since 1998 I think (starting with VB6).

·        What industry do you work in?

None in particular

·        How big is your development team?

1

·        What kind of apps do you most commonly build?

Applications controlling hardware or doing calculations or both.

·        What’s the most interesting app you’ve ever built?

Commercially: http://translate.google.se/translate?prev=hp&hl=sv&js=y&u=http://www.rorkraft.se/pipecalc/index.htm&sl=sv&tl=en&history_state0= (VB.NET 2008)   

For personal use (so far): http://www.abiro.com/lab/snapper.php (VB6)

·        Please tell us about an app that you’re working on at the moment.

A MIDI Echo for personal and commercial use. A tool I developed a long time ago in C for MS-DOS, but that I’m now “re-inventing” in Visual Basic. It’s hard to describe, but think echoes in multiple layers in completely different timbres and octaves and volume than the initial musical “phrase”. Simple at the core, but a very creative tool for a musician (play against yourself).

·        What other technologies do you most commonly use?

Security keys (Sentinel, Rockey)  Deployment Project   

I also use NetBeans and Eclipse for Java (mainly MIDlets and Android), PHP, CSS etc, Frontpage for HTML (mainly prototyping), C#, Python (for telematics), etc.

·        What are some of your favorite VB features?

The WYSIWYG editor and the no-brainer connection to underlying code. 

The language itself (see below).

·        What do you like most about VB as a programming language?

I’ve found it’s much faster to write code in VB than in e.g. C or C++, or even C#, due to the “word processor” style of almost text-only programming. No special characters needed for the most part, so I can write code very fast. I write very fast when I’m in “manic” mood.   

Also due to the very fast background compilation, providing quick feedback on “features”.    

I also like the WYSIWYG dialog/form editor of course, even though that’s obviously also available for C# etc.   

The fact that it’s based on the extremely powerful .NET platform, providing a toolbox that’s vaster than I will ever be able to utilize.

For other interviews in this series, please visit http://imavb.net.