>Is there something you are trying to accomplish with this post? I personally do not care what Microsoft does... I want to give the best service I can to my clients by using the right tool for the job. If that is VFP, then so-be-it. But if the tool does not fit I will suggest something else.
>
>Microsoft's marketing doesn't do a thing to hurt or help me as a provider of solutions to technology problems.
>
>Blaming the *big bad* Microsoft machine is everyone's answer... when they should actually be asking 'what can I do to better serve my clients'?

I don't think that you get the big picture. VFP is the BEST tool for certain jobs. We learned to use it and we like it a lot. But if there is no marketing made for it then eventually no new developer is going to buy it. And those already using it could stop using it because of the lack of marketing and they want to leave the boat before it sinks.

So what is the end result on this. No new versions means that eventually there are things you won't be able to make with the old version you used compared to what other tools are going to offer.

You still know that you used the best product but it's not available no more so you can't use it. So you have to rely on alternatives not because those are better but because it's the hot new thing to use or it's still around. But then you can kiss goodbye the expertise you had with the other tool. You have to learn a new one.

That's what is sad here. You'll have to change not because another product is better but just because it's there.