>>>CON
>>---
>>>1. Borland.
>>
>>>2. Borland.
>>
>>>3. Borland. <g>
>>
>>>4. Will the product survive? I think it will but who knows? Look at dBASE.. Ugh.
>>
>>>5. It is technically a great product but needs a real dose of marketing.
>>
>>
>>>Best,
>>
>>
>>Doug, on your list of CONs, replace 1, 2, 3 with MICROSOFT and you would be talking about VFP.
>
>>Andy,
>
><g>
>
>>Well, i suppose I'd have to disagree with you on that score. Mind you, I would also like to see MSFT do more but given the nature of the product I don't see it in the cards. Am I pessimistic about FoxPro? Nahh.. It's a stable product and as has been pointed out by others VFP apps are going to stick arouns like COBOL apps. The xBase language IMO really is the COBOL of the PCs.
>
>>Now, why do I take that position I do? Simple... Where's Clipper, dBASE, Arago, etc..?? They're essentially history but Foxpro is still very much alive and kicking!!!. In other words, I guess what I'm thinking is that unless Microsoft had purchased FoxPro we'd all be using VB, Delphi or some other language. I think MSFT has kept xBase alive rather than killing it.
>
>>Why? Well, where are the other products we all knew and loved? Gone...
>
>>I do not think that the nature of xBase will ever lend itself to a mass appeal like VB. I do think, however, that by placing VFP into the middle tier "arena" that MSFT has ensured it a long long life. There's no other product with the ability to build COM objects and that has the speed VFP does. It's a compelling combination and I for one am glad to see it take that place..
>
>>No rose colored glasses. Just trying to be realistic. I'd very much appreciate having someone convince me otherwise. I know just how wrong I can be but I've been around enough to think that this just might be the case here...
>
>>Best,.
>
>>DD
>
>
>Yes. Foxpro probably will be around for at least few more years or until SOME OTHER product,like VB, can do what VFP can do data wise. I think foxpro is still alive because it is so easy to use and more important, it is so data intensive and nothing else.
>
>I'm no way an expert VB-er, but sometimes I feel using VB to do data intensive operation is like trying to fit a square block into a round whole.
>
>But if VB ever becomes VFP-ish as far as data handling I can definately see MS phasing out foxpro. Will it happen? Will the two co-exist as kiss'n cousins? If you're an outsider like me, it's anyone's guess.


Andy,

Hmm.. I don't see VB ever bolting on a data engine. That would seem counter-intuitive to where the market is heading generally. As I mentioned before I'd very much like to see VFP be able to do what Delphi does - use one of multiple data engines by adding them in at compile time but the VFP structure doesn't lend itself to that as the whole of the product is so tightly intertwined with itself. It's be ugly and slow everything down and at that pong you might aas well use VB.

Nope.. It's the combination of both the data engine and language that gives us our edge - that plus the great point you mentioned - ease of use.

I totally agree that data + VB is akward at best. Hope it stays that way. <g>

I think we'll see both products available for some time.

I also think that SOAP, XML, this new .NET stuff and making VFP communicate over the Internet is where our future lies. That and maintaining older 2.x apps. >*gack*<


I'm no where ready to hang up my VFP shoes...

Best,

DD