The release of .NET Micro framework v4.2 Beta brings Visual Basic support for the .NET Micro-framework.    

For those that have not heard of the Micro framework before

“The .NET Micro Framework is .NET for small and resource constrained devices. It offers a complete and innovative development and execution environment that brings the productivity of modern computing tools to this class of devices.

For current .NET developers, this means that they can now create applications that run on a range of devices from targeted devices like remote controls to PCs and Servers and on to the cloud – all with the same programming model and tools.

For current Embedded developers, this means that they can now leverage the productivity gains that have been achieved on the desktop and reduce their time to market.

The .NET Micro Framework is a fully integrated Visual Studio experience brings a reliable and productive development system to the embedded world.”

Up until now the platform has been a C# only platform but the v4.2 Beta brings VB support.   The support requires the installation of Visual Studio 2010 SP1 installations (Express versions support is not yet implemented fully).   The VB support utilizes the work carried out by the ‘Compilers’ team for VBCore functionality and lights up another platform.    This is exciting news for both the Compilers and the .NET Micro-framework teams

Other hardware vendor SDK’s will be available updating their SDK and providing specific VB project templates target 4.2, with Secret Labs already releasing a 4.2 Beta version of their SDK for the Netduino devices with VB support.

This is really exciting news for anyone that wants to get into the area embedded microcontroller devices and wanting to leverage their VB skills and tinker with some electronics.     VB developers can now be microcontroller developers.

More info to follow…

Download Location
http://netmf.codeplex.com 

Addition Info

Micro-Framework Team Blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/netmfteam/archive/2011/06/07/netmf-version-4-2-beta-now-available.aspx

 .NET Micro-framework
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/netmf/default.aspx

Secret Labs Netduino
http://www.netduino.com