To really do low level stuff like operating systems and device drivers, you need to do a lot of bit-level manipulation. VB is a poor choice for that. Sure, you can invoke Windows API calls in VB but that's not nearly the same thing as device driver programming.

I have to be careful about what I say about CCAT due to a non-disclosure agreement. It's still in use but has evolved quite a bit since I was on the team. CCAT was my only publically distributed program and the end users only see a small part of it. Most of my stuff has been for very limited audiences, such as support software for satellite operations.

Java is a good language. I like it better than C++ in many ways. I agree that Sun screwed the pooch on Java and disagree with the judge's ruling that Microsoft has to distribute it with Windows. Any user that wants or needs Java can easily get it online, just as they do for all sorts of plug-ins. What's next, will some judge order GM to include a certain percentage of Ford and Kia parts in their cars?