>For years I have gone to bookstores to see “what is on the shelf”. Part of how I gauged how well FoxPro and VFP were doing was based upon the number of books available on the shelf. We have been told a number of things about book publishing and profits. VFP does not sell enough to consider publishing books on the topic.

>Well, Whil Hentzen publishes a number of VFP related books but you normally do not see them at the bookstore. I did see the Hackers Guide at our largest computer bookstore (three locations) in Silicon Valley, but they went out of business. Is there a message there?

>I guess the reality is:

>1. Only present users know about VFP and sales of the product is aimed at upgrades to present users. Since no one knows about this product outside of the present development community we will see our numbers dwindle with time.

>2. Who needs to know about VFP outside of the present development community? We are one big happy family. There is no need to advertise VFP. Remember everything points back to #1 above.

>3. Do not suggest anything be done differently about marketing VFP. That will upset some of the present VFP family members and we must not have an unhappy family.

>I think if the number of users of VFP was represented by a pyramid, the number of users today would be approaching the top.

>Tom

hey Tom,

ain't that the truth! we sit with one of the best products out there and nobody at ms want to do anything to spread the gospel. looks like we all chose a deadend branch of programming. first dbase, then clipper and now vfp too. maybe it's time to just go fishing and not worry...

the biggest secret, though, is that if ms could charge a fat CAL for every user you have using your apps they would even have vfp advertising on your toilet paper and grocery bags!

best!
John