>>You should define a number of things in your evaluation:
>>
>>- Why are you moving away from VFP? Possible reasons: No longer being updated, problems with DBFs, need better security, remote and/or web apps
>>
>>- What requirements do you have in a new tool? Maintain current VFP code? Cross platform? Create web apps?
>>
>>>I'm always on the prowl for a possible transition from VFP and ran across the following. Interesting information on their websites and seems to be obvious contenders.
>>>
>>>Alpha Five - uses dbf's natively, no runtime fees, potential to develop web apps as well.
>>>
>>>Filemaker Pro - seems to be a lot of users and has a native database, free distribution of apps, lots of support.
>>>
>>>Realbasic - cross platform, no runtime fees for single user versions.
>
>HI Craig
>
>I actually detailed some of the reasons in a different thread, but quite honestly, I'm just looking for a direction so that if in another 4 or 5 years, VFP can no longer satisfy my needs, I will have devoted some time to learning a new development tool.
>
>I have a number of commercial apps and I'm guessing it will take a number of years to convert these to some other language, and that will only be after I acquire some proficiency with those languages / tools. How long that takes is anyone's guess. But I do know this, if I wait until something catastrophic happens - perhaps a change in the OS that renders VFP incompatible - then I don't want to be standing there explaining to my thousands of users that I was relying on a product that was discontinued in 2007.
>
>Granted, I used Clipper for many years after it was discontinued, but there were alternatives available - Foxpro, Quicksilver, dBASE IV, etc. - that would have provided a migration path for future development. VFP is so far ahead of other tools, it's hard to see anything as a migration path for it. Perhaps something will show up... I hope so, but I see no reason to sit by and wait so I am actively looking for another "comparable" tool to develop desktop apps. And if I have to make a change, I would like to look at all options that provide cross-platform and web-enabled apps from the same tool set.

Out of curiosity, what kind of commercial apps do you have?

FWIW I would be very nervous about waiting another "4 or 5 years" to deal with the contingency of VFP becoming no longer viable. That seems like an extremely risky strategy for someone whose livelihood is commercial software. JOMO....