I recently read an editorial in the current issue of FoxTalk (March 2000) titled "Who's Going to DevCon". I believe there are a few clarifications that need to be made concerning this editorial and the apparent bias of its author, Whil Hentzen. I want to preface the remainder of this e-mail by saying that I am NOT interested in starting any kind of "online fisticuffs", because I really don't have time for that sort of thing and it would be very counter-productive. I just feel compelled to respond. Following are some statements made in this editorial:

"Since then [the Palm Desert DevCon], a second "VFP DevCon" sponsored by Microsoft and the folks who handled registration at the last few VFP DevCons has been announced for the middle of May in New Orleans."

Whil knows the "folks who handled registration at the last few VFP DevCons", Tech Conferences (TCI), and he also knows that TCI handled more than just registration. TCI has been a full partner with Advisor Publications (now Advisor Media) since Advisor began having DevCons back in 1995. Advisor, with an assist from Microsoft, arranged for speakers and session content. TCI handled all of the conference logistics, not just registration. (Do we really have to go over this again, folks?) The last official event that TCI and Advisor partnered was the Palm Springs VFP conference in June, 1999. Regarding the "since then" implications, I can only say that discussions involving a second DevCon-type event, and its viability, had started with Microsoft before the Palm Springs event and continued while the event was going on. Before the conference had ended, it was decided that, yes, there would be another major developers conference in the year 2000. One other point needs to be mentioned here. The New Orleans (NOLA) event is being co-produced by three organizations, not one: Tech Conferences, Microendeavors (MEI), a well-respected and very well known training company, and Microcomputer Engineering Services (MES) - some of you might remember MES…they're the sponsors of the Annual Southern California VFP conferences. Whil knew all of these details, including the dates of the NOLA conference (May 14-18), before sitting down to pen the editorial. But he seems to have selective memory on this one.

"The May New Orleans show is going to be a VFP 6.0 show. That means that the topics presented are going to be old news to many of you….There's a sister show in New Orleans covering SQL Server and there's some sort of deal where the VFP conference attendees can attend SQL Server sessions as well….being able to cherry pick both VFP and SQL Server sessions sounds like a bargain…..Miami, on the other hand, will be featuring Visual FoxPro 7.0. I personally never have gone to a show to learn in-depth concepts….What I look for, instead, is guidance on the right approach and direction… Miami's sessions on VFP 7.0 will not only cover tried and true techniques that worked in VFP 6.0 and earlier, but will prepare you for 7.0 and beyond."

"Old news to many of you"? Let's start off with a quote from one of my unnamed peers: "It's very evident to me that there are a wide range of topics, a hugh percentage of which discuss the issues I see being discussed on places like the UT all the time." (I won't mention what was said about the rest of the editorial…this is mixed company up here. <g>) There are, however, some major points to consider in Whil's observations.

It's true that VFP6 will be widely discussed at the NOLA conference. A visit to the NOLA conference site (http://www.vfpdevcon.com) will reveal that. It's true that there is a SQL conference going on in the same hotel. BUT, there isn't "some sort of deal" that allows the VFP conference attendees to attend SQL sessions. It's a plain fact. Attendees will be able to "cross-pollinate" with the SQL conference, at will, free of charge. They'll even receive a beta copy of the latest version of SQL. And they'll have twice the opportunity to expand their skillsets. Several sessions will be presented early on in the VFP conference that will allow attendees to come up on the SQL curve enough to jump into many of the SQL conference sessions. It just doesn't "sound like a bargain"…it's one hell of a bargain and opportunity. And don't forget there's a third conference going on at the same time, same hotel. (Oops!) And, oh yeah, let's not forget about the pre- and post-conference sessions, as well.

One thing the SoCal conferences have become famous for is the ability of the attendees to glean a lot of useful information, techniques, etc., that they can immediately take back to their respective work places and put to use right away. The same can be said about the other "regional" conferences in Milwaukee, Toronto, and specialty events like Double Impact. This conference promises to be no different. And, based on the session content of the NOLA conference, most, if not all of the information gained will easily transition into VFP7. So, let's discuss how VFP7 plays into all of this, as opposed to how it was presented in the editorial.

The latest news I have is that Visual Studio 7 will not be shipping until the first quarter of 2001. There is a high probability that the Miami conference will be featuring VFP7, since MS like to use these events to launch or preview new products. However, any guesses that Whil made on conference content are just that…pure speculation. I've been up to Advisor's conference site many times to view session content only to find…nothing. I'm not going to speculate, but I will say that I've heard from reliable sources that content for the Miami conference hasn't even been decided yet. The Miami conference will indeed provide attendees with guidance on the right approach and direction, as well as preparing them for VFP7 and beyond. However, many new features of VFP7 will be presented for the first time at the NOLA conference. Direction, preparation, and Microsoft's vision for VFP7, and the future of development in general, will also be presented in NOLA.

One last item on this topic. The Miami conference is scheduled for Sept. 24-28. Visual Studio will ship in the first quarter of 2001. That means that even if attendees can get their hands on a beta copy of VFP7, they'll have to wait through October, November, December, and, more than likely, most of January before they can get their hands on actual product. The product may or may not go through several revisions between September and January. So, is it more important to get a glimpse of the future and wait several months for the actual product or prepare for the future by getting as firmly grounded as possible in the current product while looking ahead at future technology? All while learning things you can take back and immediately use. That's a question many people will have to answer for themselves.

"With a new release being discussed in Miami, the show will probably be packed. I'm personally betting on 1,500 to 1,800 or so…"

For the record, attendance at DevCons has been steadily dropping from a peak attendance of 3,000 in 1993, to about 1,600 in 1995; 1,200 in 1996; to somewhere between 900 - 1,100 in 1999, depending on who you talk to and what they're basing their numbers on. Any conjecture on NOLA or Miami attendance is, again, just that - conjecture. (I won't go into the off-handed comment about there being "more room in the bar" at smaller conferences, unless, of course, that was based on personal experience. <g>) I think it may be a little unrealistic to expect attendance at either conference to exceed 1995 levels or even 1996.

"I declined a speaking invite to New Orleans. Between a new baby and …leg surgery, I just couldn't find the hours to prepare two VFP6.0 sessions that I can't use again."

Let's set the record straight on this one once and for all. I have been in charge of speakers and content for the NOLA conference. About two years ago, Whil announced that he was removing himself from the "speaker circuit" to work on things of importance closer to home - his consulting business, his then-fledgling publishing business, etc. In the two years since that announcement, he has never made it known to me (except after the fact) that he was back on "the circuit". Consequently, he was not asked to present any sessions at the conference. What he WAS offered was a speaking slot at Pinnacle Publishing's FoxFire VFP Excellence Awards taking place at the NOLA conference. He vehemently and angrily declined in words that could not be quoted here.

"On the other hand, I'll still end up going to New Orleans, cuz, hey, my authors will have new books they'll want me to sell."

I could be mistaken here, but doesn't his publishing company make money on the books he sells?

So what is the actual purpose of this editorial? Does Whil have a hidden agenda here or does he have an axe to grind? Maybe…maybe not. But he shouldn't couch whatever he's trying to do under the guise of "editorial opinion". What he is coming dangerously close to is malicious intent. Malicious or not, he's gone out of his way to play down the effectiveness, timeliness, and necessity for the NOLA conference to a community that has always thirsted for more VFP knowledge. That same community he couldn't waste the time on to prepare sessions that he "can't use again", but is more than happy to sell books to. I find it particularly ironic that Pinnacle Publishing, the company he writes for ("FoxTalk", "The Information Systems Consultant", etc.) is one of the sponsors of the NOLA conference and is currently displaying the conference banner on the front page of their website (http://www.pinpub.com).


Barry