Hi John,

Well, look, I wasn't trying to single anyone out in particular - other than myself as I really only know me, and that not always too well. *g* Having said that I think we are ALL interested in promoting knowledge and programming "wisdom" as much as we are able. I very much appreciate the fact that you hold a very high standard.

And, yes, there are innacurate posts "flying around" far too often. That's why I answer so few. After some 14 years at FoxPro I still feel like a complete idiot. I just try and remember that many times those folks who post those messages haven't had the benefit some of the rest of us have had. How many knew Glenn Hart or Tom Rettig and Tom Kemm and the high standards they demonstrated? Far too few I suppose.

Perhaps, with this Internet world we all need to take a step back and remember the FUN we've had with this stupid software product and that many of the newer folks need to be gently shown the way as we were so fortunate to learn from the likes of Rettig, et al.

Let's never drop our insistance on technical superiority but let's also remember that we were taught that humor and a little kindness helps frayed nerves as well. I'ts not always easy as some folks are obstreperous by nature but that doesn't mean we need to be.

I have been helped far too much by this community to watch as it gets a little frayed around the edges by sniping and an insistance on "being right" while at the same time being entirely wrong, human nature wise, to not speak out. You have been involved in this as have I at times and others as well. Let's just take a minute and remind ourselves of our rich heritage and recommit ourselves to the WHOLE community - even the creeps - like that other guy. *bg*

John, I wish you and yours the absolute best blessings this season. Thank you ever so much for being willing to share as you do and to also expose your thinking process as well. It's always a risk and others do not always appreciate that. Let's work together to help our peers be the absolute best developers that we can help them be. Whether VB, VFP, Java, SQL, oe whatever language of choice.

Warmest regards,

DD

>Doug...
>
>I agree with you 100%. However, there are times, often around here, where there are inaccurate posts flying around. For me, the sad thing is new folks will latch on to this stuff, and run with it, only to come back in frustration. I have seen it happen too many times.
>
>So, who do I care about more, the folks new to the product that need accurate advice, or the folks that dispense bad medicine.. I will gladly ruffle the feathers of folks who dispense bad medicine to save somebody who is genuine need of good advice.
>
>Now, am I the one to always give that good advice? Heck no. As I told JK, I freely admit when I am wrong, and I have been. It is a complex world out there, nobody knows it all. But, since I am the subject here, lets be realistic and put modesty aside for a moment. While I don't know it all, there are only a handful of folks that frequent the UT whose knowledge about the product at or above my own. No bragging here, it's just a fact. If that comes off as bragging, so be it.
>
>What is disturbing is the less than willingness on many to just admit they are wrong... Often, it is plain as day... To those that cannot admit it, they get everything they deserve....
>
>John Hosier once said to my, there are two certainties in this world:
>
>1. Only God is perfect....
>2. And I am not God...
>
>
>
>>John,
>>
>>Here's a quote that IMO gets to the heart of things:
>>
>>"He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone."
>>
>>From one failure-prone human to another. *g*
>>
>>It's been my observation that those who hold themselves to a very high standard do so for one of two reasons; One, to gain personal worth by publicly being better than others and, Secondly, to help others reach those higher levels and leaving the 'personal worth' stuff to the judgement of history.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>DD
>>
>>>Yup, that's me -- over sensitive. But if you read my posts going back, you'll see that I have always been this way. I like the people here, John.
>>>
>>>My posts and my slant on issues have not changed one iota since becoming a sysop. If Michel required that, I would not be a sysop. I am never going to say what I don't believe.
>>>
>>>But I do believe that we all can't be perfect. Ted Roche made an interesting comment to me not long ago: He said that no one can claim that they had done more than a few enterprise apps since VFP was released. Therefore, no one knows everything and mistakes occur.
>>>
>>>Personally, I know I make dumbass mistakes. A bunch of us do. I think it's the way we handle those mistakes that counts. When I see someone make an error I generally dont' call it to anyone's attention publicly.
>>>
>>>
>>>>That said, I think you are one of the more "over-sensitive" folks here then. You confuse debating the technical merits of another's post as calling them a "dumb-ass". The fact is, by many, what I do is very useful because I go the mat to set the record straight.
>>>>
>>>>They say a little knowledge is worse than knowing nothing at all.
>>>>
>>>>However, the heart of my question still focused on the whole "dual-standard" issue, which as a sysop here, you did not refute....
>>>>
>>>>>Again, who the hell knows? I think a major difference between my posts and yours is that I try not put myself in a position where I am forced to call someone a dumbass. IMHO, there is no useful purpose served by this. OTOH, you wear your heart on your sleave and sometimes get kibboshed because of that.
>>>>>
>>>>>Just my opinion. I could be wrong.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Maybe what? Are you acknowledging there is a dual-standard here?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>That is my point John, with regard to attacking topics, point, as opposed to attacking people personally. I think I do what you do.. Sure my langauge may be a bit forceful, but it is the same nonetheless...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Maybe....but I wasn't attacking anyone, just the topic. Who knows?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>but isn't this a pretty lame topic?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I have to believe that if I said this, I would be labeled as a personal attacker...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Personally, I don't think it is a personal attack. However, I would bet dimes to donuts that if I said it, more than a few folks would crawl out the woodwork and lay it on me...yet again..
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>If you get the same grief I do, then I will know that folks are consistient and not hypcritical. If you don't, then I know that I have less latitude than others..
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I don't really care. I do however think it is important to call attention the double-standard that clearly exists here....
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Pardon my interruption and I don't know if this has been said already, but isn't this a pretty lame topic? One is hard-pressed to find articles about the future of any language beyond the next version because MS is not going to give competitors something to compete against:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I can see it now, MS announced that eventually VB will host 10 widgets so Inprise starts working on Delphi2001 that will support 20 widgets.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>The best thing one can do is point to reviews of VFP from the last release, point to what has been said about the new release and leave it at that.