>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

Hi John,

The question isn't why Microsoft markets VFP to us, it's why they don't promote it to anyone else. We've been through the arguments: VFP has got to be generating more indirect sales for MS than it can possibly be taking away. It gives people a reason to stick with Windows and it provides a comfortable path to SQL Server. If you think that point isn't clear to MS, by all means continue making the case by every channel available to you.

I can only judge the success of people's efforts by what I see, or in this case don't see. My plea for marketing is not about advertising, it's about the minimum action Microsoft can take that is both necessary and sufficient for any effective VFP marketing to occur. There's nothing savvy about Microsoft's positioning VFP in the closet.

Mike