>According to an article in the May 17 issue of Infoworld, Microsoft is planning to replace the jet database engine with a new product that integrates with SQL Server and the Office 2000 products. Microsoft's strategy is to improve the technical relationship between SQL Server and its desktop database applications.
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>This is a direct quote from the article:
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>"This is part of the overall move to better push SQL server data to the desktop--and [it is] using Office to do it. It is the first step in getting rid of Jet now in Access and the Microsoft FoxPro technologies," said one corporate user familiar with the company's plans, who requested anonymity.
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>Although the source sounds suspicious, it is not surprising that Microsoft would take this direction. Given Microsoft's statement about its commitment to Foxpro, perhaps the company should have to answer some very hard questions at DEVCON?
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>I hate to re-create this ugly thread, but we need to address this issue. When articles like this appear in papers like Infoworld, IT decision makers will automatically rule out VFP as a serious development tool.
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>Regards,
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>Jim Weil


"A corporate user" is not a very reliable source for Microsoft's plans. That's like asking someone in the IRS if NATO has detailed plans for ground troups in Kosovo.

I've talked to many Microsoft people...and many different levels, some very high up in their areas. There are NO plans to kill Jet and NO plans to kill VFP. The Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) will ship with Office 2000. It is a scaled down version of SQL Server. It is severely crippled in that you can't have more than 2 Gig of data or more than 3-5 users.