>Jess,
>
>Don't get me wrong, I would certainly welcome a password feature on the DBC as well, but I think there are some issues here that you're not considering or are choosing to ignore.
>
>1st, although MS will tell you to get SQL Server if you need this functionality, any ODBC data source that supports the password feature will do. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that even the advantage xBase server handles this and probably with VFP data.
>
>2nd, DBFs don't physically reside in the DBC like they do in most of the other databases. There may be some underlying technical problems here that make adding this feature a lot more difficult than we can imagine.
>
>3rd, while you can't add a password to a VFP database, it's very easy to prevent modifications to the data from outside of your applications and there are also products like Cryptor from XiTech that allow you encrypt your VFP data. While these aren't the exact solutions we want, they are available now.
>
>Finally, if MS does add a password option to the DBC how long do you think it'll be before someone figures out to how to hack it.
>
>Again, I'd personally love to see this feature, and an objectified DBC as well, but I really think a bigger deal is being made out of this issue than is necessary. There are solutions available to this problem now, I'd prefer that MS focuses on the things we can't do.

Mike,

Thanks for your informative and constructive comments.

That's what exactly we want to hear from MS, explanation why?? So that those who are waiting will not expect it that long. If possible, then when? If not, then why?? Absolute question that needs absolute answer.