Hi Ken,

This makes more sense-legally. Thank you for being more specific as to how developers can purchase an upgrade to VFP8 and still work in VFP7 to upgrade their apps to VFP8.

However, it does NOT make the upgrade an easy one. Here is a small example: when I installed VFP8 (from MSDN Universal Subscription), and attempted to modify some of my forms that were created in VFP7, they would not even open. It took some time (with the help of the UT folks out there) to determine which form objects were creating the problem. I could not even open the form or run it in VFP8 to catch anything in the debugger. I had to dissassemble the form object by object in VFP7 and attempt to open it in VFP8 until I found a silly label using ="=" as a caption that was the culprit and then check all forms for that same caption and fix it in VFP7 so I could even open the forms in VFP8. Ok, I am not the brightest person out there (far from it), but I have been using Fox products since 1985 and my typical mistakes are still the obvious ones that I overlook somehow (thank god for the indulgence of the UT folks :O). Had I purchased upgrade versions, how would I have done this? If I understand correctly, I would have to UNINSTALL VFP8, REINSTALL VFP7 each time I needed to fix something in VFP7 so I could open it for modification in VFP8. I cannot believe that THAT is MSFT's intention in making it possible for VFP7 developers to 'upgrade' to VFP8. Now I have no intention (even though I have full versions of both) of maintaining apps in VFP7 for any length of time. We are already in the process of moving them over to VFP8. However, even in attempting to do just that, imagine the time involved if I had to uninstall, reinstall, ...such an 'upgrade' method only makes sense for a developer if the newer version (upgrade) is 100% compatible with the previous licensed version.

(By the way, still waiting for my t-shirt for assisting in updating that issue online in the past!:0)

Tracy



>The issue is on using previous versions of VFP at the same time as the new upgrade version. You can go back and forth between the new version and the older version(s). So there really shouldn't be any issues for anyone, it is the same as it was for VFP 7.0. This is not a “new” change for VFP 8.0. This has been in Microsoft EULAs (including Visual Basic/VC/Visual Studio/VFP) for many versions. This is also same across various other groups at Microsoft. You should really look at upgrade and downgrade rights in tandem. You can always go back to using an older version because of your “downgrade” rights. The intent of the “upgrade” is that you should move to using the new version within a "reasonable time" if you paid Microsoft “upgrade” price (i.e. discounted) as opposed to full price. Again, the EULA is basically the same as it was for VFP 7.0. From the VFP 8.0 EULA...
>
>11. UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES
> 11.1 Upgrades. To use a version of the Software identified as an upgrade, you must first be licensed for the software identified by Microsoft as eligible for the upgrade. After upgrading, you may no longer use the software that formed the basis for your upgrade eligibility.
> 11.2 Downgrades. Instead of installing and using the Software, you may install and use copies of an earlier version of the Software, provided that you completely remove such earlier version and install the current version of the Software within a reasonable time. Your use of such earlier version shall be governed by this EULA, and your rights to use such earlier version shall terminate when you install the Software.