>>If I had to choose a new language I would look seriously at the cross-platform langagues such as Java, Python or Ruby. DotNET is where M$$$ wants us all to go but why not consider alternatives to something that seems to change a lot and ONLY runs under Windows?
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>I wonder why some people (like Craigh Berntson) dare to focus entirely on .NET, a product that may currently be mentioned a strategic product for MS, but may as well be no longer so within a couple of years. Afterall, there is nowhere written, as to my knowledge, that MS promisses to continue development of .NET for as long as the company will remain to exist.
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>Similarly, your observation about support for Excel and the like was sharp.

Let me ask you this... and I am asking because I haven't been around that long. Has Fox ever been a strategic product for MS?