Examines the workings and uses of the Visual Basic computer language, a derivation of the Beginner's All-Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC) language. Chapters cover how to fractals, ActiveX controls, Windows Application Programming Interface (API), Speech API, and CryptoAPI. The concepts are illustrated by examples of programming applications that can be used on PCs and the Internet. The CD-ROM includes the Visual Basic project files, forms, modules, class modules, user documents, and user controls, for every program in the book. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.