>And MSFT hasn't released new active x controls? Why would the active x control require a design time license anyway? Am I missing something? How could you ever use it? Doesn't that make it a pretty much useless control?

Tracy,

When you install VFP and it installs the controls, the design time license is registered. However, when you deploy an application, the run-time license is registered. It gives you basically the same functionality, with certain limitations, that's all.