Hi John ---

I think we might be looking at this from different perspectives.

Debating whether or not VB or VFP is better for n-tier apps is rather like debating a shovel or a trowel for digging out NORAD. Neither tool is terribly suitable for large or enterprise-level n-tier apps when it comes right down to it....and then we get down to the 100-user or less arena. At that level and below, latency and granularity issues usually demand physical 2-tier and, in my experience, VFP kicks VB's little butt in speed of development, implementation, and execution.

I am currently reviewing several large-scale EA's and none of them, repeat NONE, involve VB or VFP.

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>Something to think about. When was the last time we had sessions at Devcon on Fox 2.x, either Dos or Windows? What about sessions on optimizing with Win16 platform? Its been a while, and nobody seems to be complaining. It is all part of an evolutionary process, and this issue is just another step on the ladder.
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Not a valid point. Nobody sells 2.x or DOS or Win3.1 or designs applications around them.

>Understanding the architecural and design issues is the hard part.

Boy, aint' that the truth :-)

>Folks that are still building single-tier apps can still do that. Having MS propose that as a preferred way to build apps is totally unreasonable in my opinion. Anything else sends a mixed message.
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Nobody is going to argue the first point. And if MS were so down on single-tier app development, explain Access?

>If all you is build single-tier apps, you have a great tool. Recognize however, that model of building apps is falling behind the mainstream of the industry. The subject matter of books and periodicals bear this fact out.

Advanced architectural n-tier theory does not apply to 70-80% of business needs and, when it does, as I already said, using either VB or VFP as a major player is foolhardy.

I agree with your conclusions: By all means, everyone should become at least passably familiar with the other tools. At the same time, everyone need not go into lockstep with MS's grand DNA vision just because it's in vogue. There is still a large market out these where going 3+ tier does a disservice to the client.