*snip*
>Again, you were only the first. The point is that someone, in the trappings of VFPDA 'officialdom' (a stretch, I'll admit, but at least in the context of the formation of the VFPDA) denounced the unbeliever and invoked the wrath of the righteous. We aren't far from being called on to boycott a magazine that prints an article saying that VB is a better development platform than VFP. I fully expect to be dragged off to prison in chains for stating that VFP isn't the right tool all the time, or even most of the time, for developing an application.

I primarily use VFP for development, and I may even be guilty of using it in "inappropriate" places. Right now, its where I'm most comfortable in, and CAN ACCOMPLISH what's needed to be done (usually). I still use C, VC++, or even MASM when needed. As far as you being dragged off in chains, I certainly won't be a party to that. If a truly better tool than VFP comes along, no matter who the vendor, I'll use that tool. But for now, I feel I can safely be loyal to the Fox as it has been very good to me, and there currently IS NOTHING significantly better, IMHO.

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>As much as I like VFP, it's not right in all places for all things, as unpalatable as that may be to those people who feel it's the only tool that can meet the needs of data-centric development. I like VFP as a platform, and I admire the VFP community's ability to provide self-help and support for the product and for people struggling to master it. I don't have warm fuzzies about people who feel a need to police the rest of the world, the ones who aren't members of the VFP community, for instances where they disagree with our desire to see VFP continue as a part of Microsoft's product line, or postulate that it's not long for the world. The behavior exhibited in this one instance makes me wonder what horrible fate awaits a member of the community who comes along and says there's something better.

I love VFP and especially the cameraderie that exists within this group of developers. I think this is very unique, and something which we all can be proud to be a part of. If M$ sees fit to destroy a good thing, I guess that is entirely up to them. I just wish there weren't quite so many people out there trying to hasten it's demise. I just don't know of anything good enough to replace it yet, but I'm waiting. I've just never been one to jump ship and try something else just because it's not VFP or not a M$ product.

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>>>Perhaps I'm being cynical. The bulk of the message traffic to date has shown an awful lot of people volunteering without knowing what they're joining, or what they're being asked to do. I got over that in the military. In fact, we don't even know what the VFPDA is going to do, besides fighting the war for truth, justice and the VFP OOP model.
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>>Being cynical about something as undefined as the VFPDA is easy to do, especially if you've been involved with similar "good idea" organizations before. I know I have been. But I do believe we ALL would like to see some good come out of this, even if we all do not agree with proper protocol as to how things should be put forth. Remember, we are all individuals and having different opinions on things doesn't make them bad opinions, just different. Getting together at DevCon would be a good idea, however not everyone can be there. Not even all those that would like to be a part of this are even here on the UT, but it's a start. But if everything has to go through a "commitee" to agree on things, I can also tell you from personal experience that that doesn't work well, either! So you're probably correct, Ed, we certainly don't need to go off into battle half cocked.
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>Thanks. I am cynical for just the reasons you mention - I was a member of the first attempt to roganize the FidoNet, and watched it fragment and disintegrate over issues of direction, membership, and organizational responsibility. I withdrew from PADD's CT FoxPro chapter when it turned into a political nightmare, and I've avoided such organizations like the plague ever since. This rush to create a VFP PAC scares me; someone actually went out to the web looking for a fight, and got you to go smack them around a bit.

I saw PADD nearly destroy our Fox User Group in NJ the same way.
And as far as me being sent "to go smack them around a bit", maybe that's just something I enjoy a little bit myself! I guess I've always kind of played an "enforcer" role in life. ;)

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>For the moment, I won't be joining the VFPDA, especially if this is indicative of what it is trying to accomplish.

Hopefully, VFPDA can and will be something that is very useful to all of us.
Any organization would benefit from the expertise that you can bring to the table, as you've proven many times here on the UT. I think we are all just a bit passionate about the Fox, but we have to not let that color our vision.

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>>And don't forget Mom's Apple Pie! :)
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>I wish I could; Mom wasn't a very good chef!

That's too bad. Mine could whip up a mean Apple Pie, and I USED to have the waist line to prove it! :)