>I've been following the developments on Linux through the press and the Linux Journal. It has great potential. My problem with it currently is that there is nothing like VFP to run on it! I don't have time to play with C or Tcl for serious development. I am sure though someone will see a niche there and make a clone for it.
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>Costas

Actually, Costas, there may be. Linux already comes with ProgressSql and MySql. One can purchase several other compliant SQL engines for VERY reasonalble prices - some even having unlimited seating. Linux comes with C and C++ compilers, debuggers, profilers and version control (using RPM and "patches"). The GUI objects (called 'widgets' - combo boxes, list boxes, text boxes, radio and command buttons, frames, group containers, edit boxes, etc...) are available under the GNU license policy (free if you don't make commerical programs, reasonable prices if you do) from QT. I'm running the KDE window managers and it is a dream! It's a cross between Win95 and Macintosh., it loads almost instantly and is VERY fast. And, you can pop up a virtual terminal and do command line stuff on the sql back ends, etc... Doesn't that sound familiar?

I'm having a blast exploring the possibilities One cavate - Linux isn't compatible with all modems or sound cards (doens't that sound familiar just a couple of years ago with Win95 and NT!). But, there are companies producing drivers for many brands and the average price I've seen is around $20 US. The book "Beginning Programming in Linux", from WROX press, is an outstanding intro to Linux (and Unix) shells, scripts and c code programming- from both an ascii and gui point of view.

I'm having fun!
Jerry