George,

>>>Why? My opinion, as I previously stated, is based on a significant amount of experience. You and I debating the issue will resolve nothing. There are no facts that you can bring to bear that will change my opinion, and I have given already the basis for it, which, you don't accept.
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>Tamar,
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>>I think what Jim was saying is that opinions are, necessarily, subjective and, thus, open to changing based on new experiences. Facts, otoh, are truths, which no amount of discussion or experience will change.
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>Oh certainly. Wouldn't debate that point for a second. I would say, however, that an opinion, grounded on significant, personal experience is somewhat different. It's usually based on overwhelming evidence that the opinion is, indeed close enough to fact (for the individual) that it is treated as such.

Works for you - your opinion is your fact, though it is hard for others to be able to discern that when the topic at hand has no fact and is entirely based on opinion in the first place.
I, on the other hand, also have "significant personal experience" but would never dream to tell someone that my OPINION is, indeed, fact! I realize that for me it is fact, but I also realize that the subject is not fact-based to start with, so any other discussion could be enlightening to me. In fact JimB did change my opinion to some extent (as related to CLR/VFP).

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>Naturally, in an instance like this, there are a number of external factors that come into play. For example, some people may have a harder time than others adopting to a new language or paradigm. For them, a forum like this or CServe can be of value as not only a help source, but a support group as well.

I'll assume this is a well-intentioned general comment and leave it alone.
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>Given, however, that I'm who I am, and don't seem to have as hard a time learning a new language, it is difficult for me to relate. I can only express that which I know.

As I was trying to do, until told to do otherwise!

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>>In fact, isn't the whole point of discussions like these for people to share the experiences that have formed their opinions with the goal of influencing the opinions of others? (Actually, frequently, the participants know they won't change the other participants' opinions, but aim to influence the lurkers.)

I've never aimed anything at a lurker myself. I suppose that some do. My aim was to add perspective to the opinion that you had expressed, possibly changing some part of your opinion in the process. Not at all to change other peoples' opinions.
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>Oh sure. Here, however, I strongly sense that some of the underlying reasoning as to why learning another language would be terribly difficult was based pure and simply on FUD and not much more.

Maybe you could explain to my face where I promoted FUD or based my reply on FUD!?!?!?!
I said that there was more to programming than "syntax" and used a few examples from VFP to show the difference between knowing the syntax and "knowing" the language.
Look at something as simple as the INDEX ON command. The syntax is pretty simple. But it didn't help me at all the first time I wanted to index on a date field. It was of no help when I needed to have a TAG composed as string+number. I had to learn the hard way that my personal functions are a no-no in its expression or a FOR clause. It was so long ago that I forget what else the syntax alone didn't tell me about INDEX ON. I truly admire that a similar command in another language would not cause you any grief. My assumption going in will be that it will, until I see differently.
I had started to look at VB6 (spent about 3 weeks, very part time) and had learned the syntax, had learned the different source 'types' and their usage/intent and had done all the exercises in the MS VB 'course". Then MS announced .NET and the uproar from the VB community started. I stopped immediately, reasoning that I'd wait for VB7 instead.
Some, with that exposure, would call themselves "VB Programmers". I, on the other hand, wouldn't even mention it, even if asked. It took me a long while to be able to call myself a highly skilled FP programmer and feel near the point now to say the same for my VFP skills.
The prospect of a similar investment does not, truthfully, turn me on at all. The idea of promoting myself as a VB programmer without KNOWING many of the intricacies of VB just isn't on in my head.

That's where I was coming from. FUD, no. Opinion, yes. My "fact", yes. Willing to discuss, yes. Capable of changing my stance, low but possible.

Jim