James,

>All this talk about Microsoft missing another VFP credit is scaring me. Jobs are becomming harder to find in this language. Are we being forced to learn a new language?

VFP will be around for a long time. Object-oriented analysis, design, and programming obviously will, also. Keep enhancing your OO skills, learn a bit of VB over the next year, check out VB7 when it arrives, learn the syntax differences, and you will be well-positioned for *whatever* "IS" wants.

>I recently applied for a job where they wanted a VFP deveolper with a minimum of five years experiece. When I get to the interview I was told by the IS director that no new development would done in VFP. Everything created in Fox 2.6 that needed maintenance would be simply recompiled in VFP or rewritten in Visual Basic.

If you knew both languages, you would have had a job.

>Their plan was ridiculous, and I told them so, but they were convinced that Foxpro had no place in their environment. I am finding this more and more lately. VB developers are everywhere, but VFP programmmers are becomming a rare breed.

Rare can be *very good*. Think $$$ for OO experience in the future, especially if you take the next year to become an MCSD with VFP and VB tests. IS will be looking for people who can DO this stuff.

I'm planning to take the VB7 exam betas whenever they hit, to add to the MCSD I'll have by then.

>Are we being forced out of our beloved way of life? What's a dedicated VFP programmer to do?

Don't panic. Follow the above instructions. Enjoy life. Use VFP where it fits or outperforms. Use VB where it's required. Breathe deeply. Improve skills in analysis and design, especially the "n-tier services" approach.

I expect to have plenty of Fox work for years to come.