Malcolm,

>> Why then, all the hoopla regarding VB? Don't answer that (don't want to start another thread) ;o). <<

Alas, we've had that thread many times. Many believe this theory:

1. VFP has no runtime royalties to Microsoft, whereas:
2. VB requires a back-end such as Access (or VFP for that matter) or SQL
3. Since Access crashes in the real world, and..
4. ...since VFP has no run-time royalties to Microsoft,
5. Then VB Sales = SQL sales = Run-time royalties to Microsoft.

As the man told Woodward and Berstein, "Follow the money."