>I believe you are the one who stated you could write a more sophisticated app using native data/native dml in Fox than I could using .NET and SQL Server.

Yes.

> Native data + native dml = monolithic.

No.

> As it turns out by your other post - XML at the very least is something that you omitted - thus you changed the premise of your argument.

Obviously "something" has to go over the wire. I could have used any "protocol"; I chose XML. I could use CSV for all the difference it would have made. Assume I did; does that still "change the premise" ? What "protocol" do you think I should use ?

Perhaps if instead of "protocol", I had said: "format" ? Does that make a difference ?

If I'm not allowed to use XML, Why not ? Any other restrictions ? WinSock is not exactly "native" to VFP either; must I roll my own too ? Using ... what ?