Thinking about the common runtime, I wonder how much any of this matters. After all, when we can sub-class VC components and VB can subclass our components, etc...

I think VFP will continue to be used in the couple of areas that it excels, desktop data storage, data traversal (scan loops vs select statements and stored procs), string manipulation and searching. I think we'll see several languages being used do develop applications, each one to build classes whose functionality lends itself to the strengths of that language. Kind of a relief over trying to do EVERYTHING in a large app in one language.

Until MSDE came along, there wasn't much competition in the arena of desktop database apps including single-user apps, small workgroup apps and disconnected data. Even with MSDE, data intensive apps are slower and more cumbersome in VB than in VFP.

By the way, checking out all of the new features coming in the NEXT release of VB, I'm amazed to see things like inheritance are yet to be seen in Microsoft's flagship product. Yes, VFP has some advantages still, just a smaller audience.

Mike