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>DataSets are not so bad. Just think of them having most of the features of databases, except in memory and not directly linked to the database.
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>If you haven't already done this, VS has some nice wizards which may up your enthusiasm for working with DataSets. First, create a Data Source. Then drag and drop tables and/or fields from the Data Source window to a form. VS will create DataGridViews and textboxes on the form, all of them bound. It will also generate gobs of code for managing the DataSet and TableAdapters. The connection string will be captured via a wizard and put into the project's app.config file, creating one if necessary. It's a pretty impressive wizard show.

Oh yeah, I've done all that, and got it working nicely. Been reading a lot about DataSets, TableAdapters, DataAdapters, Typed DataSets, on-and-on.

I'm just trying to really squeeze out all the best practices info and opinions I can here before I make a committment as to which way to go. Right now, I'm hitting my Foxpro free tables using the VFPOleDb connection, so I can actually write .NET apps (WPF and ASP.NET so far) to work from the same live data as our main VFP LOB app that is 15 years old (but very modern as I have refactored it a lot over the years).

Some of the stuff you read will make it sound like you're a fool if you don't use Typed DataSets, and some say you shouldn't use DataSets at all, or blah-blah-blah. Opinions are plentiful!

Either way, my next big move is to get our data out of VFP tables and into SQL server, so I can use L2S and L2E (or any other ORM tool) from .NET (since most of them do not work with OleDb connections). I'll also have to refactor my VFP app to work with SPT, or CursorAdapters, or remote views.

Needless to say, I've got a big project ahead of me. But I'm all for it. It's gonna be fun, and I've got no deadlines or corporate head to deal with (I am the corporate head).

And then, besides the data layer, then you get to bang your head against the wall on choosing a UI... Silverlight, WPF, ASP.NET (no way I'm going to use WinForms). I've poked around in all those too, and they are cool. Right now, I'm just hoping all over the place and having a ball (still active in my VFP app too).

I'm severly addicted.