>Now let's describe a possible version: MS needs to make .NET a huge success, as soon as possible. Accordingly, any product line that is not in the .NET family is to be de-emphasized, receiving only marginal attention, only when absolutely necessary. <<

Well, receiving minimal attention is what we expected and I guess we could live with it for a long run I would say. But, when it is becoming clear that some people seem to focus their work to destroy what is already place and locking any new potential possibilities in order to monopolize the control of information and the training activities, for example, then, this is a very bad practice. That includes, as mentioned in some messages, potential expansibility in regards to .NET in the same area as well.

>Of course. What is surprising in any way about that? More to the point, what is wrong with it? This is how businesses operate. They set their priorities and the highest priorities get the most attention. For a marginal customer group -- which, let's face it, we VFP developers are -- to complain that they aren't getting as much attention as the top priority customer group is just plain silly. Microsoft views web services as a key strategy and .NET as their technical implementation of that strategy. OF COURSE they emphasize it!

Well, you have to say that Microsoft is within a special environment. This is why the US Congress went in. When you're too big, there are some things that can't be done in the same ways other companies would do. In that, I agree that specific laws should be put in place. A giant such as MS could have serious impact on people, the businesses, etc. So, for some of their activities, I would say that I agree some things should not be seen as another average company.