However, I still don't see dotnet coming close to VFP with data crunging or ease and speed of development.


Tracy,

Good points, but let me add one thing - one can come much closer to VFP with data munging/ease/speed of development...but I'll qualify that it generally takes a longer learning curve to get to that point.

I'll also say this - quite regularly, the "offerings" provided in support of the notion that VFP is better/easier. are often part of a non-distributed environment.

Now, I'll further qualify that the learning curve is a lttle less of an issue if one is starting with VS2008 and the 3.5 Framework.

I'll be frank...aside from the opportunity to talk about how much .NET Generics and interfaces are used heavily in the 3.0 and 3.5 framework, these arguments are boring.

(And they were equally boring 10 years ago, when I was defending VFP in the presence of VB people....I remember VB people sqwaking about how it was easier to use 3rd party products that relied on structures, when in fact you could write a little extra VFP code to do the same thing).

Kevin