Just do a comparison on say, VFP jobs & VB/C++/.Net jobs.

First - Big corporations are reorganizing at least twice a year. That gives the in-house people a six month window to feel secure. Second - most big corporations outsource their fun-geeky technical requirements.

This may explain the dynamics of our positions. VB/C++/Net jobs imply corporate bench work, either as an outsource or direct hire. The developer spends a lot of time working a little-bitty piece of project.

I like doing the whole banana - I have had the good fortune to be trusted and paid to specify, design and build full [life cycle] systems. I have written every accounting [process] module know to man, from scratch. Don't ask why - besides - those were early 90's projects!

I don't see my compeditors as the NET developer next door, or the VB/DBA lady down the street. You can call it wishful thinking, but I imagine [fantasize] my compeditors to be shops like Intuit or ABBRA, etc - if they try to get into the vertical markets - I'll give `em hell.

I am only going to live once. A long time ago, I faced a dilema:
Either I am smart and hard working, and as a consequence - will be the next king of the world - or - I am too stupid to realize I will never be king of the world - yet continue, in my ignorance - to persue this course. Vanity - wishful thinking - life is too short - a bunch of reasons push us along. I have no idea where I'll end up - but the fun is in the ride - and VFP (it used to be dBase/Clipper/Fortran) gives me the tools to live my vain little fantasy!

Salute