>>>I also read your post. I still think it's interesting that as far as the desktop is concerned Dabo is very similar. The big difference as I understand from your post is the IDE and web and mobile. My recent post may have offended you. If it has I'm sorry it was not my intent.
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>>>Johnf
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>>I'm assuming this post was meant for me John? if so, no I'm not offended at all :) I was only a little surprised that your conclusion was that the "only reason" to go WinDev was the mobile and web aspects. Yes that is a reason - i.e. one language for several platforms (including Linux). But I think there is much more to WinDev than this.
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>>I would say that the single biggest reason for a VFP programmer is how similar the WLanguage is to VFP syntax (even to the point of many function names being essentially the same) and also how you build a project / app in essentially the same way. So this is a VFP specific recommendation.
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>>The second biggest reason I would offer is that WinDev is an extremely extensive IDE with more help, components, tools, controls, examples, etc. than I can name or list. It literally has every single 3rd party tool that I have ever purchased built in. Wow!
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>>The third reason I would offer is specifically to those developers that are building their own product for resale i.e. self-employed developers or developers who work in a business which produces off-the-shelf products. For this type of development WinDev is awesome not least of which because it also has a free built-in database which can be operated in both direct-access mode or client/server mode (same database). But also because they claim you will develop 10 times faster - well maybe not 10x compared to a VFP developer but I'm guessing certainly 3 to 5 times faster. The reason being how extensive the IDE and the controls are, how much it does for you without any coding required at all.
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>>We are are software shop building off-the-shelf products so we can choose our tools. VFP was good for a long time. WinDev will be our future platform. The problem with staying in VFP now is that as a developer you miss out on the latest tools and development techniques, new controls, new interface options, and all the enhancements to developer productivity that new IDE's give you. If you are an independent developer you need to move to new dev tools (unless you are older and can see out your remaining work years). Each developer must obviously weigh up various aspects and issues.
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>I wonder when building off-the-shelf-products, how WinDev will be a difference to VFP, because of the licenses? Do you need to purchase a license per seat, or per client? That was one of the good things of VFP that you could distribute royalty free, and the client only needs to purchase the SQL Server. And that not necessarily from a cash point of view (ultimately the client pays the license anyway), but the additional administration involved when selling software.

Applications you build with WinDev are royalty free including the built in database if you want to use it - just like VFP. If you want to use a 3rd party database then that products licensing will apply as normal. You do need a per developer license for WinDev IDE but your apps are free to distribute including with the HyperFile database, reports and query engine, and all tools and controls.

The WebDev version of WinDev, which is for building websites, does have a user connection server component you need to buy for each 250 connections (or something like that). But whatever the price is for that I remember it's cheap enough.