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Visual Basic Scripting Edition
An Active Scripting language interpreted via Microsoft’s Windows Script Host.
The language’s syntax reflects its pedigree as a variation of Microsoft’s Visual Basic programming language.
It has initially gained support from Windows administrators seeking an automation tool more powerful than the batch language first developed in the late 1970s.
VBScript is interpreted by a script engine vbscript.dll, which can be invoked by ASP engine asp.dll in a web environment, wscript.exe in a Windows GUI environment, and cscript.exe in a command-line environment.
When VBScript source code is contained in stand-alone files, they have the file extension .vbs.
When employed in Microsoft Internet Explorer, VBScript is very similar in function to JavaScript – it processes code embedded in HTML.
VBScript can also be used to create stand-alone HTML applications (file extension .hta) which require Internet Explorer 5 or later to run.
Web developers may prefer to use JavaScript instead for better compatibility with web browsers other than Internet Explorer.