If your application is simple and you can give up using VFP transactions - I think it will be more stable if you give up DBC (KISS rule). If you can - do not use memo fields. If you can - open data files in exclusive mode.
If your application is really simple there are no downside from user point of view. There is a downside from programmer point of view only IMHO.
In a future you can always start using DBC if you will have to.

>I am writing a small gradebook app that will be distributed widely and needs to be almost bomb proof. In this case, could free tables be a better choice than tables in a DBC since I don't need long names or stored procedures? What is the downside?
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>TIA,
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>Alex