>Hi Michael.
>That's my point, it seems like this topic comes up once every week (again and again), you know ..."...I heard from my friend's friend..." or " heard from so and so, but I didn't catch his/her name...". If you don't have hard evidence or proof, keep your opinions to yourself. *this comment is not directed towards you*

And so you don't.

Hard evidence: (also includes perceptions)

1. VFP pulled from Visual Studio. Translation: VFP will never be able to be used as a web enabled application (or integrate into .NET technology) unless third party tools are purchased and used. The foundation classes to convert forms to HTML and DBF to HTML are a joke. Developers are required to purchase VFP AND Vstudio and learn all of them in order to develop complete applications. Rapid Application development is available up to about the 85% mark, then the roadblocks show up.

2. Microsoft no longer includes the VFP drivers in MDAC_TYP updates. (see version 2.6) Translation: Why include this driver, the only database driver the user needs is dbaseIV (which is included) and the ODBC ones. (Oracle, MSSQL, etc)

3. Microsoft does not support VFP user groups. MSDN, and the ISV program receives periodic promotional materials and offerings of speakers and new products. VFP? NADA, never has.

4. Industry support: Macromedia's new merger with Allaire's ColdFusion includes access samples, not of any other type.

5. VFP Development Team: This is an area of bright sunshine, if only there was more support higher up in MS. (Perception: Microsoft is completely distracted by its Legal and Political woes) There is no question that the VFP team is working hard to improve and enhance the product. Remember? The same thing happened over at the WordPerfect Shop too.

6. VFP Certification exams. Spend less than 30% on Fox Pro specific, less than 50% on database, and appear more like a COM or DCOM certification exam written in a "solution" format. But is there COM development integrated in VFP, hell no there isn't. Anyone wonder why more are not taking and passing the VFP certification exams? Does this represent the real world in VPF development? Far from it, folks.

There are more perceptions, of course, most have been expressed over the past year or so, but I think they are real and not imagined. Many thanks to those who are interested, and not so much for the ones that aren't paying attention or are satisfied to post a slough off reply to a developer's concern.