Gary,

I didn't take your message that way (complaining). Look, I know how tough it is 'out there'. I was commiserating with you. <g> Thing is is that it's tough for everyone, including Microsoft.

Either we all learn to help each other or ... I would particularly appreciate it if Jim decides to post his list of 70-odd bugs he's collated. Maybe if Microsoft can't or won't do this we can. At least the knowledge is there.




>Doug:
>
>I wasn't complaining about my lot. I was just trying to outline the real world and the MS world. If hiring a couple more guys for the Fox team would upset the apple cart so much that it would upset the product's viability as far as bottom line goes, then VFP must really be balancing on a knife edge. Maybe that's why we haven't seen Ken Levy for awhile. May MS made him redundant to save money <s>.
>
>-=Gary
>
>
>
>>Gary,
>>
>>>Mike:
>>>
>>>>> There is apparently some criteria that is used to decide if a bug gets a KB article or not.
>>>>
>>>>You're right, there is. It's called "there's only so many hours in a day".
>>>
>>>OK. I'll bite.
>>>
>>>I am a solo developer in my own business maintaining and developing all of our systems. I run the business too. I try to develop our customer connections. I am struggling to maintain my supplier connections (in the retracting high-risk insurance market). Margins are tight and business is tough at the moment.
>>>
>>>I had to lay off a number of staff in October last year and I am having to do the same thing again at then end of this month. Me, personally doing the firing of good people who have been with us for many years (as well as developing, testing, bug fixing, "fire fighting" and so on).
>>>
>>>When I get home from the office, I start again in the evening (computing, learning .Net, C#, XML, HTML, Web Development etc.,) . This is whilst trying to keep my Wife and two kids, German Shepherd and assorted tropical fish happy, fed and entertained.
>>>
>>>I feel for me, there are only "so many hours in a day". I am not complaining. I am not saying "poor me" - I am glad to be alive and happy with my lot. I am however trying to paint a picture of a typical small business. Maybe even a typical original Foxpro developer - the small business man who got into programming because he had to. I was an insurance broker first and then I found Fox in 1989.
>>>
>>>You, on the otherhand work for MS, arguably one of the most successfull companies in the world and to the rest of us, sitting on a massive pile of cash. If there are only so many hours in a day for you Mike, then I would respectfully suggest that you call Bill G. and ask for a couple more guys for the Fox team. Whilst I am personally very happy with VFP, I just don't buy your "there's only so many hours in a day" remark. Your employer has the resources to change your workload. If MS can't lay on a few more staff for the Fox team, then there's little chance for the rest of us.
>>>
>>>-=Gary
>>
>>I really feel for you. I was a 1099 (as opposed to my current W2 status <g>) for quite some time. It is absolutely tough to survive, there's no doubt about it. Thing is is that either way you cut this cake the bottom line is always the bottom line - both for you and Microsoft. I'd bet that if the VFP team added a couple more folks (I would personally love for them to BTW) that there would be a few more of these issues addressed. Thing is is this.. If the VFP team does this and the go from making money at the required rate to under whatever magic level the bean counters (or whomever) have decided, then even though VFP is a great product Microsoft's not going to throw money down the proverbial rathole. You cannot afford to and if it were suggested that you draw from your savings I'd bet you would think twice. That 40 billion is Microsoft's savings for the some 40,000 employees. That raw number is one million per employee, hardly enough when you think of production, facilities, etc..
>IOW,
>>Microsoft has one year's salary in the bank and Bill Gates of all peoples knows just how scary this business really is and just how quickly he could be put in a position to have to start dipping into that $$.
>>
>>If someone were to ask me how best to respond to your situation I'd recommend forming an alliance or series of alliances with other developers. Perhaps you could find someone who was a great salesman and pay them a percentage. Let them find the work while you make the product. Dunno.. I do know that it is very very tough.