We're thinking the same way, but I think we need to be more grass-roots at first....the question is, WHO wants to start this thing? Count me in but I'll have my hands full with the case studies to do much more than contribute financially at first.

>To Tom and the FP World.
>
>I just sent an email to PC-Week marketing to get a price on an Ad. Also to get a price on the email that focuses on an ad.
>
>We need to focus on 3 things primarily before we spin out of control. We need some organization, a game plan and a published set of goals to see if we are meeting our expectations.
>
>Concepts of Non Profit organization come to mind. What type of revenue production are we going to employ? Who gets to claim membership and what are it's benefits?
>
>Where do we locate this said orgainzation? What is the primary purpose of the group / foundation ?
>
>After we get that set down then we should decide what we are going to accomplish. A web site comes to mind that has downloads of vfp apps, so does a marketing blitz on print and news media. Can we get a spot on a local radio show or TV braodcast that highlights computers? How about national syndicated shows?
>
>This is a sleeping dragon that we are kicking here. Talk is cheap and bits in cyberspace are less valuable. This beast is going to consume 4 to 10 people over the course of 6 months.
>
>__Stephen Russell
>
>
>
>>Stephen, looks like your message has created a very long thread.
>>
>>Everyone here agrees that VFP is a great development tool. Unfortunatley,
>>Bill Gates did not create this product and it has had terrible marketing
>>efforts put forth on their part. Your are right in that he Redmond boys have treated this product as a "red headed step child".
>>
>>Perhaps the best defense is a strong offense. What would the press
>>reaction be if all of us UT members put forth a few bucks and bought a
>>one page ad in say InfoWeek. Wasn't it InfoWeek that started the "Fox
>>is dead" rumor? If the ad was well thought out and stated our position
>>that Fox is a great development tool something like - "just thought we'd like to tell you VFP is a great product - paid by VFP developers". What would
>>the M$ boys reaction be? I suspect something like this has never been
>>done where the users actually pay for an ad because the product's owner
>>has neglected it. This would cause quite a stir in the trade magazines
>>and generate a lot of attention toward VFP - don't you think.
>>
>>I suspect that a full page ad would cost a few thousand dollars but the
>>results could truly be astounding. My thought is to promote the positive
>>things about VFP (perhaps some web links to the EuroTunnel and Army Logistics
>>articles) not to be negative in any way. If the bottom of the ad states
>>that "this was paid for by VFP developers from the UT" it would go a long
>>way in making our case public.
>>
>>What are your thoughts?
>>
>>
>>>We all know the strenths of FP, VFP and FB. M$ has taken the position to promote VB becasue it's easy to do.
>>>
>>>There are 30 fold developers in the VB camp to the FP one. If M$ does try to encourage more use of the product, what will they acomplish? Nothing.
>>>
>>>That includes lack of revenue. Because everyone knows that Access is not a development tool for multi user busniess apps, and for all those unlucky to have invested in it, SQL Server and all of it's licenses will fix the problem.
>>>
>>>Does VFP generate license revenue for M$. Not now. Will we bitch if they reverse that? Will that give M$ a position to measure VFP's position and strenth?
>>>
>>>Oh well let the flames begin!

------------------------------------------------
John Koziol, ex-MVP, ex-MS, ex-FoxTeam. Just call me "X"
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - Hunter Thompson (Gonzo) RIP 2/19/05