>>As an aside, I would have to disagree with the notion that VFP 5.0 is such a leap from previous versions that it has driven off all the mediocre Fox programmers. With all the backward compatibility, there's nothing to stop someone from writing an app with @ ... SAY/GET to the screen with all the various READS, etc. We have one in production--dBase code recompiled under VFP. Not my idea, but he's the CEO's son... > > >I stated this as a general case, not an absolte rule. We get lots of people attend our User Group's VFP Beginnner's sessions a couple of times, only to drop out because it was so difficult. I stress OOP as one of the last things to learn about VFP.

The only people I see dropping out are those who can't "drop back" to VB. Anyone who "drops back" to VB doesn't understand nor has ever programmed using the JET. The DBF backend of VFP is much more powerful and much easier to code.
Other than the back end and some differences in language functions, VB and VFP are very similar - i.e., event driven paradigms -- as long as OOP is not included. Then it becomes the difference between an F86 and an F16. Both are jets but....