Windows VB.NET 1.1 to 2.0 Upgrade - Benefits?

Question

We have a fairly large Windows based 1.1 .NET application that we are considering moving up to 2.0. The main reason we are considering the update is so we can utilize Visual Studio 2008 for ongoing development on the project, as well as we use the Infragistics Suite of controls and the 1.1 set is no longer being updated with new features.

Since this is an internal Windows only app for one organization and not a public web app where security issues are a bigger concern, what possible benefits will be seen from such an upgrade? Are there performance and other improvements in 2.0 and other pluses over 1.1 for Windows based apps?

Answer 1

Generics would be the principal benefit on my list.

The WinForms designer has received several usability improvements since .NET 1.1 days, text alignment guidelines being one of my favourites.

However, I would ask why don't you move all the way to .NET 3.5?

Edit

Rationale for moving to .NET 3.5

• It's the latest version!
• LINQ
• Extension Methods (less significant, but a "nice" addition)

I used .NET 1.1 for several years before moving briefly to .NET 2.0 and recently to .NET 3.5. I cannot understate the profound benefits I've seen from the use of LINQ syntax when querying and processing any sort of data that exists in a list (array, collection etc). The most readable information I've found on LINQ is at Charlie Calvert's blog.

If you are planning to just get your application building in a newer version of .NET and then use the Infragistics control suite then you might not be able to take advantage of the language additions in .NET 3.5, but giving yourself the opportunity to do so in the future makes sense to me.

Answer 2

Tools/frameworks support for 1.1 is truly fading away which is an incentive by itself. That said, depending on what features you use you will see performance improvements in the 2.0 runtime. Datasets, generics, GC... just to mention a few things.

Imo, language innovations like generics and lambdas gives productivity improvements as well.