>Ok, I am convinced (thanks to some excellent responses to my orginal message). If I have to concentrate on one of the Microsoft languages, VFP is the best for business/database applications. I can even tell my wife that I am probably in a good position for earning potential.
>
>Now, what do I tell my customers when they ask why I am not using Delphi, Oracle, Sybase or any other non-Microsoft platform? Has anybody looked into how VFP stacks up against the non-Microsoft competition?

Because it's what you're comfortable with, and how you are best able to be most productive, while developing an application that meets their business needs well. You might turn the tables around and ask them what they perceive to be the advantages of the other platforms; most likely, they're tossing buzzwords at you, and won't be able to point at specific technical aspects of the products that make them a more desirable platform for their application.

As a developer, you need to have at least passing familiarity with other platforms; if you don't, you might well be using the wrong tools to develop the types of applications you're writing.

If they'd rather have a PowerBuilder app, or a Delphi app, or an Oracle Business Objects app, they should bring in someone who specializes in those tools. And make certain that they ask the question "Why aren't you using VFP?"

Ed