>Mike
>
>As I said in my response there are some of you who are committed to .net and will go to great lengths to show how we >obviously misunderstand .net and its potential. I didn't name anyone particulary as I knew the JVP lights would respond >quick enough. Small business are all about desktop data solutions, not web based solutions. Right not I believe VFP is >much better tool in the hands of the developer even if the expertise level of developers are the same. When the solution >is all about data and you need to meet a certain cost objective, I think VFP at this point will win every time.


I'm probably one of the "JVP Lights" you are referring to so I will respond. I think you're correct in your assertion that most small business are about desktop data solutions; however, in today's world, web-based is gaining ground. VFP is definitely a better tool for down-and-dirty desktop app's that are data centric.



>
>Most small business remain small business most of their life and only about 25% live beyond 4 years. You do not need the >added cost and complexity of SQL server for these small businesses and that is what you need with .net. or some other data >source which the client is ill equipped to deal with. The few occasion I have had a chance to review a proposal for a .net >solutions, the costs were much too high and their proposal got scuttled quickly.

True to a point. SQL Express is free so the cost issue is, or should not be, much of a concern. With current frameworks, .net development can be done as quickly as vfp development in many areas, so the cost of development should not be much of an issue either.



>
>It is oftened offered as one reason to learn .net is that you will be paid more as a .net developer than a VFP developer. If that is true that certainly is not an advantage when it come to trying to develop small applications where cost is a very big factor. Somehow I can't imagine a "professional" .net developer ever working with the small business community.
>

LOL. Most businesses in today's market ARE small businesses.



>It appears MS is slowing including some of the VFP advantages into .net. If there hadn't been an outcry from the VFP developers and we all just switched quitely to .net like lemmings, do you think MS would have found it in their interest to adopt some of the VFP goodies into .net. I haven't had much time to get my underwear in a bundle over this but I do thank those who have been very outspoken on MS decision as I think it has changed some of MS behavior and I want to thanks to those on the VFP team that have fought the fight for VFP.
>
>I don't anything about your business, but I do mine and I know that had I switched several years ago I would have out a great deal of money.


Funny coincidence, but I was talking to an ex-foxhead consultant the other day who made the switch and, according to him, his income is up considerably.



>Hopefully .net is serving you better than VFP was.

VFP had its place and still does for smaller development efforts, but tides change, time rolls on and even the best has to give in to the future. How much turbo pascal development is going on today? It was the hottest thing going in 1984.

John