:sigh:
This question is like the common cold. Just when you think it's gone, it comes around again.
Folks, LANGUAGE DOESN'T MATTER. It's irrelevant ESEPCIALLY at the beginner stage.
More important is to just find something that provides quick feedback so that they can work on something, then turn around and quickly see the results. Something that encourages exploration.
Far more important than that is a grounding in basic analytical thinking processes, logic, etc... The ability to think in abstracts, to model a concept, and to conceive of a solution. The language then just becomes the means of expression and the developer will be better equipped to choose the right tools for the job, rather than getting bogged down with ideology.
Ultimately it all depends on the end goal of the individual in question. Do they:
a) want to be a good software developer, or
b) hack out an application every so often?
If a then follow my advice above, otherwise sure, VB, VBA, or VB.NET is as good as anything else.
