Basically object based types of data manipulation (.NET and Java) will probably NEVER have the transparent type of data manipulation that fox has had for going on 20+ years. You will always manipulate objects of some sort which will then be transported via some mechanism for processing at the database server.

I think that's fairly clear- which is why I set out to compare entities to typed datasets. But I presume you're aware that SSCE is being suggested as a possible replacement for local VFP cursors?

IMO Linq and all related technologies will never make VFP developers happy. Why??? VFP is just very different than ALL other technologies and these will probably never reach that level of transparency. Does this mean that .NET or Java are not suitable for building database apps. Well you know the answer to that one. Each technlogy has its own Mojo. And the VFP mojo will never be recreated.

Actually ADO.NET has been making certain ex-VFP people deliriously happy since 2002. ;-) And as I said earlier, dLinq seems to me to be a natural route for people who feel channelled to NET by the recent VFP announcement. I know why YAG has been saying that dLinq will be exciting for VFP people. There's just that change tracking issue- IMHO there's a reason to work with data in objects and that's one of them. Other helpful posters pointed me to external discussions on that topic including posts by MS reps who have agreed it will be sorted.