>Actually according to at least one insider at the time, MS also was under pressure from
>ex-VFP gurus who wanted VFP closed down asap to boost their own conversion, training
>and other commercial endeavors. Also there was a claim that a high-profile VFP knocker
>was granted NET MVP status if he targeted VFP effectively and accelerated the rot. The
>second claim was denied.


VFP was shut down because it offered uncontrolled (uncontrollable) freedom in Win32, an unmanaged platform. It had all components in one for a tiny footprint (forms, reports, data, processing, a robust language, remote network support).

Microsoft is and has been about control since the pre-Azure days. It is why VFP was killed.