>Gorges,
>
>Thank you for your response.
>
>>Database technology did change business, and so does (will) the
>>>Internet. The problem with VFP is that it will not evolve as fast as
>>>VB.
>>
>>I think there may be some question as to this conclusion. It can be argued that VFP has evolved faster than VB. Afterall, when was the last time (or the first) that you heard that the VFP 5.0 development environment is inferior to VB 5.0. Further, you made mention that you were concerned that VFP would not have access to the necessary drivers, libraries, etc. I think the evidence is to the contrary: ActiveX, ODBC and so on.
>
>I'll take this argument at face value, although I think it is easier (more natural?) to implement activeX in VB than it is in VFP. But the question is the future! Are you sure that this evolution will hold on in view of the market situation?
>
ActiveX is in its infancy. It's potential is enormous for both MS and 3rd party providers. Whether or not it's realized, is another question entirely. However, given MS's overall track record (well, let's forget Bob ;-)) I think it's a pretty good bet.

>If you had the choice between (this is a question, not an affirmation) implementing system in VFP or in VB/SQL, would you not feel more at ease with the latter, when you look at yourself and at your client in say 5 years?
>

5 years in this business, at least in my view, is just too long a time to acurately make predictions of this nature. I personally believe that it exceeds the limits of the life of the software. Reduce that to one to two years, frankly, no.

>>
>>>To those who think we should not say these things because they are like self
>>>fulfilling evils, I say that we owe it to this user group to discuss
>>>this topic of crucial importance freely and in all honesty. If my
>>>arguments are wrong or not convincing, I apologize, if my opinion is not
>>>that of the majority, well for that I do not apologize.
>>
>>The key to self-improvement is the ability to take criticism (both external and self-). We certainly shouldn't bury our heads. Further, one is wholly entitled to their own opinion, and, IMHO, should never feel that an apology is owed for a gracefully expressed opinion.
>
>As we say in French, it goes without saying, but it is better when it being said. :)

I will take this as a "Thank you," and you may take this as an "You're welcome."
>>
>>>The choice of a language is a very important decision. In fact as
>>>programmers, it is probably the only strategic decision (defined as
>>>decisions that influence the next 5 years) that we have to take. It takes a lot of time to be fluent in a language, to know what works and what does not, which is the condition to deliver robust solution.
>>>
>>
>>Then again, given that a person can deliver a quality solution, the language is only the tool used to implement it. In other words, the development environment is less important than the problems solving skills used to create the solution.
>>
>
>Problem solving skills are important to design the solution, but the fluency (the flow, as Alan Cooper would say) is crucial in the implementation. And hence the importance of a good choice in language, because you have to invest non (or difficultly) billable hours in order to become fluent.
>
Without the former, I think that the latter is irrelevant.

Regards,

George