>I have been developing an accounting program since 1990 starting in FPD, thru FPW (horrors), VFP6 and 8 (big learning curve). This program has been added to and bandaided forever. What next ? I would like to choose something that MS is not going to drop, something that is accepted by the corporates so my program and user base is saleable in 10 years time. Is .NET and MS SQL server the way to go ? Or are there other easier to learn options that the suit and tie brigade are comfortable with. After seeing SQL server in action, I am not impressed with the speed, but maybe this will change as computers and the web get faster. VFP has spoiled me rotten with it's fantastic data handling, great functions and easy coding. However I feel I have to start re-writing now (from scratch) because the program is large and I am a slow learner.
>Any comments ?

In some other threads, the following pop up again and again when this kind of question is asked.

.NET - A disadvantage, it seems to me, is that it is not as much "multi-platform" as some other options, i.e., the Mono variant, that runs on Linux, is not as developed as the Windows version. However, I think you won't lack a work market, since it is extremely popular.

Java - multiplatform, built-in support for Unicode, one of the most popular languages.

Python. Also multi-platform, and a very interesting language, which should not cause VFP programmers much trouble. A kind of framework was developed, called "Dabo", by two VFP programmers, adding the data handling (i.e., through something like the .ControlSource) we are accustomed to.

Difference in opinions hath cost many millions of lives: for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether whistling be a vice or a virtue; whether it be better to kiss a post, or throw it into the fire... (from Gulliver's Travels)