>>Hi Guys
>>Decisions, decisions - this question has been asked a thousand times, but....
>>The problems with Terminal Services, the anti Fox attitude among ISP's and opposition vendors (every chance is taken to tell prospective clients how bad Fox is), the push towards SQL Server all lead me to believe one must eventually think about moving on.
>>Sale of a good package is (apparently) influenced by whether it has been written in flavor of the month development tools etc etc.
>>The prospect scares me not so much re-learning a platform (done that before from VB to Foxpro to VFP) as the fact that anything I see written with SQL Server as a backend is abysmally slow when compared with VFP.
>>So the question is:
>>SQL Server (or My SQL) with a VFP front end ?
>>SQL Server with a .NET front end ?
>>SQL Server with a VFP front end compiled to .NET ?
>>I still have FPD running on sites and running well, but they don't generate income, too stable etc
>>Does this mean VFP will continue forever ?
>>I have heard ramblings about an open source version? Does this mean Fox will not die?
>>One thing I have noticed is that the numbers on UT are dwindling is that because all the questions have been answered or are programmers voting with their feet?
>>Cheers, John
>
>Definitely lose the thought that SQL Server is "abysmally slow when compared with VFP." It isn't.

You bet. SQL Server is extremely fast, reliable, scalable, and secure. I've spent the better part of a decade switching VFP systems to SQL server backends. My customers are without exception extremely happy with the results.

>
>Microsoft has stated explicitly that there will never be a full open source version of VFP. There are some current endeavors like SednaX to add open source extensions to the core product. How far those go, we'll see.

The vfp compiler.net stuff from etecnologia.net looks very interesting, and it may in fact give VFP programming a new lease on life, but we have to see a final product.

>
>Re voting with their feet, I can't speak to what is happening in Australia but in the U.S. yes, there has been an exodus from VFP for 10 years or more.
>
>Another "your mileage may vary" point based on my own observations, re FoxPro apps still running, is that there are some of those here, too. What I have increasingly noticed is that many of the companies still running them are crackpots. Bad companies, simply put. This is what has finally pushed me to abandon interest in FoxPro legacy work and move full speed in another direction.

There are some big companies and agencies still using and developing in VFP, but from what I've seen a lot of those are simply stuck with large VFP investments and it will take time to move off. And yes, some of those apps were developed by crackpots (I'm currently stuck trying to maintain/enhance one (probably the worst program written in history BTW) while I look for a new contract). Personally I won't look for another VFP contract unless it is a contract to replace a VFP system with .NET/SQL.

I like to go where the market is, which is .NET based. There are lots of alternatives besides that, but .NET is where the market is moving (racing to, actually).

>
>Good luck!