Hey, Robert,

>> ...and that a single VFP purchase actually generates 10's of thousands of dollars of revenue for MS

Does that mean the three copies of VFP that I purchased last year qualify me for a royalty? <vbg>

I don't think anyone would dispute some type of connection between VFP purchases and MS revenue. But I think a direct and significant connection is probably more the exception than the rule.

Many customers would likely remain entrenched in the Microsoft environment because of the general committment to/investment in signature products like Office, ones that carry much more brand equity and clout than VFP.

Yes, a robust VFP app can augment the MS Windows operating environment. But the reverse is also true...VFP apps that use Office Automation can look and operate better when significant enhancements are made to Word, Excel, etc.

Given Microsoft's model, I just don't believe that a development tool (in this case, VFP) will drive significant incremental revenue.

Kevin