Perry,

>There are a group of developers who develop apps for small shops or develop off the shelf apps for verticle markets...

>However there are many of us whose career depends on filling specific needs as corporate type developers...

And that's the crux of the matter very often, when these turf fights arise over who can talk about what in which forum. There are different categories of VFP developers that intersect with each other and with other technologies in a wide variety of ways -- more like a multi-dimensional matrix.

I work in VFP every day, but also do considerable work in SQL Server, sometimes with .NET, but not as often as I did two years ago. This is due to the current mix of projects, one of which is a large and long-running corporate project to move a VFP6 app to VFP9 with SQL Server. I'm also doing some Access work for a new client, simply because that's what their current app is in and they don't need a rewrite. Another project involves Outlook VBA coding to talk to Access and QuickBooks, and another recently was PHP and MySQL.

Those whose work keeps them mostly in VFP without these other technologies entering the picture (or needing to enter the picture) will have a very different interpretation of posts here that relate to other technologies.

I don't agree with you that those of us who have used other technologies should make it a high priority to help VFP developers learn other tools, if they have not asked us to. For some, it's just irrelevant, because they will continue with VFP for years to come and that will serve their needs just fine.

However, I also don't agree with those who are so sensitive to any mention of other technologies that they spout off "knee-jerk" reactions as if just mentioning some other technology is a threat to VFP's existence.

I think the real rub is mostly with individual personalities and abrasive and ridicule-oriented comments that stirred up the recent stink, and I hope we can all just calm down and be more professional in the way we talk to each other. (I know, it's not easy, especially when being provoked with personal attacks... I've been there before, myself).

Anyway, I've pretty much avoided comment so far in this thread, and intend to keep it that way, but thought I'd jump in here in response to your post with a few rambling thoughts.

Back to work, now...