To be fair, it's been that way for a long time. VB6 (and VB5) compiled to machine code, unlike earlier versions which were criticised for interpreting bytecode

To be fair, it's been that way for a long time. VB6 (and VB5) compiled to machine code, unlike earlier versions which were criticised for interpreting bytecode ("P-code"). Now, VB required some runtime dlls, namely msvbvm60.dll, and several ActiveX controls, but that feels small compared to even the .NET Framework. And tiny compared to your implied comparison with Electron/Chromium.