>I recently began shopping the market for FoxPro work. For me -- this meant calling and connecting with programming consultants, head-hunters, and the like. The story that I got from them almost without varience was:
>
>"Fox is on its way out. Even MS says so. The system will be renamed to something else and folded into more 'sexy' products like Back Office or SQL."
>
>The general consensus that I got was that I should be going after systems development platforms like Visual C++, Visual Java, Visual Basic, Oracle, and the like. Now the question is -- am I chasing a dead or dying dog (Fox)? Also, what are the rumor mills from Microsoft themselves? Finally, what are the markets saying? Are we doing mainly small jobs and conversions from Fox to one of the "sexy" platforms? What about the stuff I read from MS saying that Fox is being positioned as a middle-teir product? Is all that bull or what?
>
>The bottom line here is that I do NOT want to be wasting my time with something that will take me nowhere. Any advice or input you might have would be greatly appreciated!
>
>Thanks,
>
>Larry Rix

Larry,

Don't mind those who get heated up. We just get tired of this issue and it's certainly no fault of yours that it just keeps coming back.

However...

I've been programming with a Fox product of one sort or another for about 12 years full time now and I see no end in sight. Started with Foxbase, then almost immediately FoxBase+. If you wander down the road in search of the perfect language to program in I sincerely wish you the best. That will be more work for me! *G* If you really like and enjoy working with FoxPro then welcome and please let me know what I can do to help you further *your* career. I'll be more than happy to help any way I can. The "pie" is big enough for all and there is absolutely no end of work as far as I can see.

As far as wasting your time goes... If you're not sure of product or language then you are probably already wasting your time; and ours. Here's the question I'd ask myself; "What do I REALLY enjoy doing?" Answer that question and just go do it. You'll be a lot more productive and happy. FoxPro just might mot "be your bag", but then again, it just might be just as easily.

But for goodness sakes why are you letting someone else make your mind up for you? You just need to program in the language you enjoy - if programming's in your blood, that is. The responsibility to choose is yours, not some ad man or head hunter. Goodness, all they want to do is sell your body and fill one of their slots in order to make their commission. In other words, they will say *anything* to get what they want.

What specific question do you have regarding FoxPro and the business environment that I can help answer that will help you make your choice?

Best regards,