I definitely would buy a copy of VB6 if only because you can make ActiveX
dll's to have your code protected.
There are other benefits (use VB6 forms, speed, useful for making an add-in
installer), but this is the main one.
At about £250 you can get it from eBay.

RBS

"William Benson" <wbenson1(SPAMSUCKS)@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm interested in advice without starting a debtate online, so if people
> want to just e-mail me answers that's great too. I know most posts are
> from users seeking advice and usually that is the case with me but I have
> been in the software market on a limited budget and don't know where to
> turn so please bear with me. I want to be better equipped to contribute
> here and also be adequately equipped to operate as a freelance consultant
> building Excel and Access applications, so I am asking about the requisite
> "tools of the trade"...
>
> So far I have purchased Office 97 and 2003 Professional, but am missing
> 2000. Does every self respecting advisor/trainer/developer need 2000?
> Also, are the developer toolkits and the Visual Tools (2003) essential if
> I am going to build applications for other people? Is an MSDN subscription
> worth it if all I plan are the aforementioned? Any responses which help me
> sort out my options and neither over-spend not under-prepare are
> appreciated.
>
> Bill
>
>