Pertti,

Thanks for your insights. So far, the following would be a shortlist of criteria (in deciding which to choose):

1. Availability of an IDE that will enhance developer productivity
2. Staying power ability of the technology (i.e., not to quashed by corporate greed in a decade or so)
3. Availability of developer resources

Dennis


>Dennis --
>
>One thing to keep in mind is also the efficiency of the IDE of whatever development system you are looking at. Python is a case in point (at least the last time I looked at it.) It didn't (doesn't?) have an IDE nearly as deep and efficient as the latest and greatest VS's IDE. And this will cost you, the developer, dearly over time. For example, if you don't have excellent visual design tools you end up spending hours-days-months-and eventually-years writing stupid UI code, compiling-running-checking the resulting UI, tweaking, compiling-running-checking, etc.. This is a total waste of (modern) time -- this is what we used to do in the dBaseII days with @SAY GETs, no need or compelling reason to do any of that today.
>
>Another point you raised: If you write a dotnet app your customer doesn't necessarily have to by ANYTHING to run your programs, unless you write them specifically against the SQL Server or some other pricey database backend. All you customers are going to need is a "one click" installation exe, which they can run and be up and running with your app in no time with no additional expense.
>
>Pertti
>
>>A trajectory exactly like VFP's.
>>
>>That is horrible alright. =(
>>
>>I am (or was) seriously considering going the open-source way - probably Java with MySQL, JSP... bec of the ff points/questions:
>>
>>1. Was thinking maybe this could also be a "value-add" for prospective clients in that no license fees required for OS and stuff...
>>2. Anything C# can do, Java can do as well (this true claim?)
>>3. Will open source go away or be quashed dead by M$ (just like what it is doing to VFP)
>>
>>Currently, the apps I am making are VFP with MySQL. Just figured maybe if VFP will go the way of the dinosaurs, then replace it with Java.
>>
>>What do you think sir?
>>
>>Dennis