>>>*snip*
>>>>Third, and sometimes overlooked, is not every desktop app is a candidate for web based deployment.
>>>
>>>Don't say that to loud. MS could be listening. Can you say .NET? < bg >
>>
>>< bg >"Dot NET"?
>>
>>I think we both know (from first hand experience) that MS is listening.:-)
>>
>>Before anyone takes you too seriously< s >, I think we both might agree that MS knows this as well as anyone. From my perspective, it's one of the reasons that "the Fox is out of the box".
>Yes and no.
>
>I think the MS marketing line will be to develop desktop apps using Winforms in VS.NET using VB.NET or C# for languages, not VFP. In fact I guarantee it. MS will not promote VFP with any angle over their much coveted .NET development platform.

I didn't say that it would. I will say that the "traditional" desktop isn't dead. Will people try to put applications that don't belong in an intranet based environment on an intranet? Yep. Eventually, however, I believe that the "pendulum" will swing back the other way to some degree.

One of the reasons I think this is the reason that the personal computer came into being in the first place. It put the power to manipulate information in the hands of the people, not an IS/IT department. Web based apps are great where they're appropriate. However, there are numerous similarities to the old mainframe/dumb terminal environment. Implementation of applications that don't belong in the Web environment, directly or indirectly, will take that power away from the people and/or make their jobs more difficult rather than easier.

I give credit to Microsoft for being a highly responsive company. If the "Big 3" auto makes had been as responsive to consumer needs as MS has shown itself to be, there'd be a lot fewer Hondas and Toyotas on American highways today.