vb.net api

Who said there are no API commands? There are API commands still available using DllImoprt.

However, some of the tasks have been made quite easy. You can now use Process Class instead of shell execute to open a Word file or Restart the system.

Shuja is correct, as always :) The API is still around, it must be. It is just the whole implementation of it that has changed, and the fact that .NET has built in many of those APIs already.
You can also have a look at this article, comparing VB 6 and .NET 's way of implementing the API :
Discovering the API Using Visual Basic 6 and Visual Basic .NET (http://www.dev-archive.com/vb/gen/vb_general/ideincludingvisualstudionet/article.php/c11981/)