Robert,

Let me try an analogy here. I have a snow blower, it is a big one with lots of horsepower and wide cutting path. It can clean my driveway in about 6 passes. I also have a power snow shovel. The snowshovel would take about 20 passes to clean the driveway.

The snow blower is complex to operate. It has 7 foward speeds and reverse and multiple controls for the blower output (height, direction, opening size, etc.). Now I can chose to use only the show shovel and never learn the controls and features of the snow blower, but if I take that avenue I will always be doing 3+ times the work to clean the driveway. On the other hand I can take the time and effort to learn how the more powerful machine works and then spend 3+ times LESS work everytime I clean the driveway. The decision is mine.

Let me address some of the "disadvantages" that have been quoted.

1) Handling errors: The trigger and field rules create an error conditon when they fail, it is easy to write an error handler that can handle those errors. The features exist in the language to find out what error occured and where it occured.

2) The rules cannot be suspended: If the rules need to be suspended then they aren't rules in the first place. Database schema rules are absolute. Business rules change over time. One should not use a databse to enforce business rules.

3) What if I need the same rules in another app?: What if you want to use a different front end to access your VFP data? If you don't use a database then you have no way of insuring that the rules are enforced. You have to depend on the developer of the other app to enforce the rules properly in their app.

Why does it seem that free tables are easier? Because the free tables have extremely more limited capabilities, which translates to your needing to know and understadn considerably less in order to exploit their features. Databases have a lot more capablility, whihc emans that to use that capability to its full function and to create effective databses, you must leanr the abilities and the nuances of the database and its features. But, remember, you only need to learn it once, then you can use the features over and over again.