>Michael,
>
>The marketing of VFP is just what it is. The strategic focus of Microsoft is .Net. The people that use VFP are the people that have used VFP, do use VFP, and will use VFP. Sure, there will be new people that will come into the VFP development ranks but I don't think the number will be significant.
>
>Whether you spend $100,000 or a $1,000,000 on VFP marketing, I don't think the results would be different as far as usage is concerned. I have made these points before and have always framed my arguments from the standpoint as if it were my money that was on the line. I always ask myself the hard question of if it were me, would I spend the money.
>
>VFP is a product that really does not need to be marketed. You only market something that has a realistic shot at getting sold to the extent the marketing dollars can be recouped. The people that use the product already use the product and are fully in the loop as to information regarding the direction of the product.
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>I guess the saying that comes to mind is be careful what you ask for. If you want Msft to spend a lot on marketing, you should be ready to accept the conseuquences. What if it becomes a big losing proposition. VFP will go from a product that makes money to losing money. I for one would not like that.
>
>There is a new release and there will be a release after that. To look beyond that, IMO, is too far down the road. As a developer, I am comfortable where VFP is. Would I like more features? Sure. Name a developer, regardless of language who is not always wanting of more.
>
>As long as the development community continues to use the product as it is currently doing, I don't see VFP disappearing. I see VFP's future as one with a steady, perhaps conservative track of enhancements. In today's world of rapid change, VFP is the island of stability that I think developer's are looking for. Still, I don't think there will be a ground-swell of new developers.
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>My advice... for the next few years, continue with VFP. At the same time, learn what you can about .Net. Whether you agree or disagree with the concept, that is where the future of Windows Development is...

John,

The issue is not a big bucks marketing campaign. It's the smallest things which only Microsoft can do that count the most. They just did one of them by making a brief non-obituary announcement in MSDN Flash. It's the conspicuous omissions in their own newsletters and web pages that I'm after. An ROI analysis on these kinds of actions yields an infinite result, so long as Microsoft makes something, directly or indirectly, from each sale of VFP. If they can't satisfy that forumula, they should rush to take it off the market.

If Microsoft decides to remove its self-imposed VFP PR ban, I'm convinced that the rest will take care of itself. The VFP community will shoulder the rest of the burden, once Microsoft takes away the barrier to any effective VFP marketing. When Microsoft sees our positive response, and that of the marketplace, then perhaps they will see point of investing more in improving the language and allowing evolution to take its course. That is my earnest wish.

Mike