>As far as I can see, you can (will probably be able to) do all this in VFP

Right.

, but as the focus passes from data intensive to communication intensive
>applications,

Business is both data intensive and communication intensive, as it has always been. Focus will not change. Without data, there is nothing to communicate.

you will find that (my hypothesis) you will have a
>disadvantage in VFP, because there will be less drivers, libraries,
>support etc. available.
>

Time will tell.


>> Please let me know exactly what you mean. Has business really changed so much because computers have changed? In other words, what can't VFP do for a typical business application?
>
>Yes. Business changes as a consequence of technological evolution.
>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.

Well, I haven't look at VB since version 3...so I can't comment...I can tell you that it was way behind VFP version 3...

>I'm old enough to have seen main frame programmers laugh at PC's, Cobol
>programmers laugh at Pascal, Pascal programmers laugh at Clipper,
>Clipper programmers laugh at Foxpro, Foxpro programmers ... I've seen this RPG programmer a few years ago, who at 50 had to start programming in Paradox.
>If you asked him, RPG _was_ much more powerful than Paradox :).

Clipper laugh at Foxpro? Hmmm...who had the last laugh?

Isn't RPG the base language for the IBM AS400?