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I can't speak for others, but Ken's involvement has erased any doubts our company (specifically my boss) had about using VFP for future development.
<

Ok...

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I see a real commitment from MS by dedicating one person to the job.
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There has always been a person tasked with this job...

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They promised "more marketing", and I see more marketing, both internally and external to MS.
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I see that marketing drives your decision making processes.

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I think Ken has already had an effect on VFP developers.
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I don't doubt this at all.

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It will take more time to convince IT departments and other decision makers, but I believe it starts with developers. After all, if the developers don't see a commitment from MS, how can they convince others?
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Here is where you definitely lose me. I see a commitment to the community. This is where I see the marketing efforts directed. When it comes to products, the story is .NET - period. To those companies that currently do not use VFP, do not think for one moment that MS is going to market VFP to those companies. There is one development tool that will be marketed - and that tool is VS .NET and the .NET framework.

If Ken erased doubts as far as your company's use of the product - good for you. But to extrapolate to something more - outside of the VFP community, I think that goes too far. As I see more comments, including yours regarding VFP marketing - I see the expectation that the product will be marketed to the outside more or that there will all of a sudden, be more acceptance of the product. Somewhere, the impression has been created - due to "web services" that VFP is this player on equal footing. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I would caution reading too much into what is being done to prop up the community as opposed to proping up the product. I think what Ken is doing for the "community" is great. To extrapolate that into great things for the "product", here is where I will get off the VFP band-wagon. Of course, I know there are many who will say "don't let the door hit you in the ass as you leave!!" That is cool - as everybody is entitled to their opinion...

Make the decisions that are best for your company. I would submit however that if you are making decsions based on marketing, you are making decisions for the wrong reasons.


>BTW, I do rather enjoy the "Black/Peterson Show", or is that "Peterson/Black"

That is the great hypocracy right??? Folks will complain in public - but in private, people like it. Frankley, I like Steve. He may not like me anymore - but that is beside the point. He and I disagree on a lot more things now than we used to.

In any case, my last name is spelled Petersen - so in the future, if you could spell my name correctly..< g >

As for the entertainment value, I hope you wont take offense if you entertainment requirements are not a concern of mine...

Regards,