>>irrelevant.

Point well taken- especially the one about changing back ends.
At my clients, business owers change spouses (often) a lot more readily data backends (never.)
Ditto with the GUI. Let's face it, one key form often IS the whole app at some small clients so where else would you want the business logic but in its methods?

The key word for the small user is RAD - we need tools that get it right quickly, economically and reliably.

That said, we have to keep our eyes open for new tools for the small client.
SQL Sever is a great example.
Ten years ago, it was unthinkable that a small client would have true client sever capabilities - high solftware costs, DBA, blah, blah, blah.
MS has made all that robust functionality so simple and economical that a new app using DBF's has become equally unthinkable to us.

As TC Holzer points out well, the N Tier tools are becoming more accessible and friendly, and when the lines of efficiency and elegance start to intersect more quickly, we should be ready to use them.