This is the way Mirage Source should go. Free IDE that compiles to cross platform java bytecode from VB6 style code. Almsot all aspects are like VB6, except its Object Orientation ACTUALLY WORKS! I played with this, started making mirage work in it, it is awesome.
The minor problem is no more Micro$uck API. But we don't really need it for mirage. The draw image for their PictureBoxes is starting to work nice instead of DX, but hopefully I can implement some sort of real graphics engine. It even has a winsock style java socket code, so you code it like winsock and it works cross platform.
ultimate for the lazy and the adventurous. I think MS needs to move over to this.
[edit]
Forgot the link
http://www.jabaco.org/
Liam! you might like this too
it will def. be compatible with your job since ti compiles to java, and you could probably work better since you know VB6 well