"Contemporary Enterprise Architecture" is definitely multi-tier:

a) with transactional database to manage data,
b) data-driven middle tier to process user request and generate output
c) browser-based presentation tier.

VFP fits very well into the middle tier - and it could successfully compete with Java, PHP, ColdFusion, Perl, etc. as soon as:

A) VFP is not positioned as a transctional database
B) VFP-based components were not designed to communicate via COM and DCOM protocols


The aspects are:
----------------

1. portal based - web portal is an integration platform to unite loosely coupled objects - COM, .NET, PHP, etc. - all under single virtual application

2. service oriented - all parts of the system communicate using HTTP

3. thin-client - nothing to deploy on user computers, just a browser is what is needed

3. firewall friendly - port 80, no ActiveX, no Java Applets, no Oracle forms, no ActiveDocs...

4. managed identity - like portal integrates content, the identity management system facilitates personilization of presentation and content, access control, etc.

5. application logic is no longer responsible for hard-implemnentation of security, personilization, integration, etc. - all this is off-loaded to portal and identity management systems


Igor.