Mike

(Hope you don't mind my replying to you Jim when this is addressed to Mike)

After consideration it seems to me that MS markets VFP to *us* because it sees *us* as the customers for VFP. Hence the ads in forums only we frequent. Other developers are seen as "enablers", promoting customers into upgrades and fat purchases of SQL server, Office and latest Windows. So MS helps them market to their customers.

Of course VFP developers are also enablers of this sort but sometimes I think that MS marketers think we are still FPW2.5, developing simple data entry systems and knowing nothing about OLE, HTTP or C/S.

Perhaps rather than "pleading for marketing" we should provide examples of VFP products that have resulted in NT, SQL Server and Office sales. I have one client that recently added 2 new big iron NT servers for SQL Server/IIS to the 2 NT servers already used for my product, >100 extra WinNT PC's with Office and SQL seats, just to use my software. I swung the client away from a competing database to do it as well. So if I do find myself having to move on from VFP because clients think it is a toy, MS risks losing that- my target will be Oracle for Servers, MS will still get Office and workstation sales but they'll lose the servers.

Silly for MS not to help me promote my software to more customers. FWIW we have approached MS and they are supporting us in certain areas. I'm not "pleading" for marketing, I'm helping MS measure my contributions to its profit and as a savvy company they respond. I'll bet I'm not alone.

Regards

JR