>>>BTW, what's holding you back from upgrading to VFP7? I guess the VFP7 marketing didn't convince you yet? :-)
>
>Well, its a fair question. You lead the charge about MS marketing the product, an open letter from the community with lots of bandwith used - yet you haven't upgraded to VFP7 yourself? Kind of "do what I say, not as I do" ?
>
>>Glad to see you've got a sense of humor, David.
>
>A more meaninfull response from you may be more appropriate.
>
>-=Gary

Hi Gary,

Well I guess not everyone saw the humor in that, and maybe I misjudged David if he wasn't kidding, so please accept my apologies along with a more meaningful response. I haven't upgraded to VFP7 (as I said, "yet"), because I have no
immediate need for it. I haven't even gone from VFP6 SP4 to SP5, because I haven't yet encountered a specific problem that justifies the hassle. I have noted the numerous reports of problems with VFP7, even in SP1, not to mention the bonus hassles I can expect to face due to Microsoft's dropping support of Windows 95 and the Setup Wizard. I'm sure that I'll have some use for Intellisense, but I can live without it for the time being.

There is hardly any doubt that I will upgrade to VFP7 in my own sweet time, when I am ready for it. That is where the grim humor lies, Gary. It is a fallacy to suggest that pushing people like me into upgrading sooner constitutes an act of genuine "marketing". Those are shoe-in upgrade sales, and it's a waste of time to be prodding the loyal VFP community into making
the move to VFP7 before we are ready, willing, and able to do it. What's the point? Will it really make a difference to Microsoft's bottom line whether they make the sale to me today or six months from now?

It's counter-productive to push any harder for these upgrade sales, rather than simply to follow the customary practice of sending one or two informative mailings. If the VFP marketing budget is so damn limited, why are they pissing it away in this manner? Aren't you just a little bit ticked off when you receive another weekly issue of the Microsoft for Partners Newsletter without the slightest mention of VFP? That would be infinitely more meaningful to VFP marketing than to continue insulting our intelligence by equating upgrade sales with "marketing", and then rubbing salt in the wound by pretending they don't "get it". As long as Microsoft fails to take its VFP marketing beyond the VFP community, they cast serious doubts about their sincerity and the future of VFP in general.

Talk about wasting bandwidth, Gary! This was a purely technical thread, and I went out of my way not to pollute it with more of the same discussion we've gone over for the past year. I don't think I said anything new, but if you still have the slightest doubt where I stand on the matter, just look over my recent responses to Ken Levy. I'm still waiting to see what he meant about the marketing efforts that would be happening "soon and ongoing". But do me a favor, please. If you really think anything more needs to be said that hasn't already been said, don't do it on this thread, and don't expect me to participate unless I have something new to offer. I don't mean to be rude, just a little fed up. :-)

Mike