auto-spanning is not a high-profile (nor even common) topic outside the VFP community. Additionally, I know other VFP/.NET developers who don't feel this is a major issue - certainly not one to justify "waiting to learn .NET" or to characterize ADO.NET as being unfit for data-handling. I've done .NET applications featuring dynamic reporting, heavy data processing, and haven't felt myself in a state of developer tool poverty.

You're saying that if you and your friends don't see it, it doesn't matter or isn't real?

And show me a single message where the data spanning issue is given as an excuse not to learn. Name the person who says they can't or won't learn because somebody else says data spanning is important.

Stored procs aren't going anywhere. My preference for stored procs isn't "absolute": I use them as a starting point, unless there are strong/critical reasons not to.

Of course they aren't going anywhere. They're useful. And if you are saying that SP aren't always best, then we're at risk of agreeing again. ;-)