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>Easy to forget it, with all the focus on SQL Server. I haven't seen any openings (yet) for VFP in conjunction with Oracle. Do you know what the learning curve is compared to SQL Server?
I found Oracle easier than SQL Server...and now I'm learning DB2 (you can download THAT for free, too). Can't have too many weapons in the fight against personal poverty.
>Permanent or contract? Bristol is a couple of hours away - not commutable daily, but maybe I could wangle some home-working. Any contact details?
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No, they were telephone calls from 4 or 5 different agencies. If they call again, I'll get the number for you. You could also have a look at
http://www.jobfizz.com/skills/jobs/Development_jobs.htmlhttp://www.jobfizz.com/http://www.planetrecruit.com/channel/uk/Don't forget gisajob either.
>>>As far as new customers go, I now write demo programs for prospective customers and then contact them, giving them the internet address of the demonstration program, and let them play with it if they want, for as long as they want. I've also been gently moving my customers towards a subscription service for their software/support to try to create a constant stream of income, rather than the usual lump and bump of large jobs and then bugger-all for 3 months. Most seem to like this.<<
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>A couple of excellent ideas. How detailed are these demos - ie. how much time can you invest in a client who may never place an order?
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I spend at most 3 days and give them a reasonably good, working (but not field-validated) demo. Maybe seven or eight screens and an example report or 2. I always password control it and give them more than a single password (one read-only, one full-control) as the first question is "if it's an internet database, is it secure" (regardless of the fact that most will only run the software on an intranet). Most (small) businesses have fairly simple needs but are not well served by reasonably-priced software, hence the monthly rental model.
Another tip: take a drive around nearby industrial/business estates and note down names of businesses. Go home and look them up on the Internet.
* Some will not have sites: write to them offering sites at whatever rate (I go cheap but monthly, others charge one-off but expensive...guess which works best!).
* Some will have sites from which you can find out what they do (and write the demo..).
