Here's a way of looking at it: Between SO and CodePlex, which language is more popular? C# or VB.Net?

Sometimes, following the herd is a good thing because it's the herd that's going to be able to help you when you need it. By default, C# will be faster than Vb.Net. I believe using Option Strict might equalize it though. The last time I compared IL between the two, VB.Net's type safety ended up adding about 15% more to the IL. This translates into extra overhead. AND... given languages that do basically the same thing, I'll take the faster one. My convenience should not override my user's experience in general.