>Well, how many successful Java projects can youy name of the top of your head? And people don't really like Java applets in web pages either... (at least I don't know anybody).

Being an independent developer who still has a lot to learn about VFP, I'm not in a good position to answer that question. I'm going to "keep my ear to the ground" for a few months and see what I can learn.


>> VFP is doomed or destined to be a niche player.
>
>Yeah, so? I'm rather happy with that situation. Consider this: Most of the really high income people in the computer world are in niche markets. Example: Grady Booch. Unless one considers ADA not a niche market...

I'm not putting down VFP for being a niche language. OTOH, I'm happy to see VFP carving out a role as middleware and XML server. I think we can do a lot with this and I'm fascinated to learn more. I'm just saying that VFP will never be the language that is used by the majority of programmers in the world.


>> VB means Microsoft and there are too many major players out there (IBM, HP,
>> CA, Novell, etc.) that will not tie themselves to a non-standard language
>> that is controlled by MS.
>
>That's a good point actually, and the only reason Java had any success at all (IMHPO). But I'd rather be with an MS language than in that kind of a scenario...

No one will go hungry by being in the MS camp for the next ten years. But if MS is serious about avoiding Java and the rest of the world is serious about using it (which I believe), then it's not going to be Microsoft uber alles. MS will go with the flow or go bankrupt.


>> Need I go on? What language do you think IBM will focus on for the next decade?
>
>Hmmm... maybe COBOL. With IBM you never know. <s> The big question of course is: Why would you even care? Ok, this statement might be a little aggressive, but you have to admit: There is some truth to it...

No, it's not a problem for me. I have plenty to do learning more about VFP, XML, HTTP, etc. I will probably steer towards solutions like these that can interoperate with most anyone and away from MS only stuff like DCOM. But I don't plan to use Java anytime soon.

I'm saying that it's MS that has the problem. You believe that VB will continue to be more important than Java. Perhaps, but if you're wrong then MS is riding a dying horse. And it may be true that VB and Java will both be obsolete in five years but that will have little effect. Languages take a long time to build momentum and a long time to fade away. Look at how long COBOL has hung on.


>But I agree there isn't really a languge/ development tool that satisfies today's needs. But who knows: Maybe there will be a new language that solves all these problems... <s>
>
>Markus

We can both be on the lookout for the "next big thing" in languages but I don't expect much action. We've seen two new languages (VB and Java) rise to widespread enterprise usage in the nineties, the first since C and Ada, and that's a long time! I think the battlelines have been drawn and anything new would die in the crossfire.

I appreciate your thoughts.

Peter