JVP,

Just a few points.

First, I don't think the VFP team at MS would agree that VFP is open source. It is a MS product that falls outside the strategic MS thrust. The other thrust is open source. VFP is in neither.

Second, it seems we agree that "drivers" need to lead from the front of a herd. If there are two herds, open source and MS, then the drivers will be at the head of those herds. Of course we will not see such drivers in VFP.

We can agree to disagree on whether there is a connection between talent and the presence of drivers. Surely the drivers are an indication of a herd, not talent. As a past extensive writer and speaker, it is fair enough that you perceive "talent" according to your parameters. Others might assess talent according to patents achieved, or business recognition, or the $ that customers are willing to pay.

For such people, whether there is a cursoradapter or dataset under the hood is an interesting technical discussion, but nothing to do with innovation or lack thereof. You may not like cursoradapters, but if an inventor can express their business innovations successfully using them, why should they care whether there is a herd with stallions galloping at the front, or people writing articles, or anything else for that matter?

Third, it seems we agree that ad-hoc consultants need to gallop in the biggest herd, while niche players can safely gallop where they please. As per above, some would contend that it is in the niches where lots of true innovation and talent focuses, not in the big herds.

Fourth, we can agree that change is good, but so is stability. VFP's stability has not been a bad thing. Following through DAO to ADO to dotNET1.0 to dotNET1.1 to dotNET2.0 to Longhorn makes me realize how lucky we are to have missed most of that. People transitioning to dotNET at this time have already missed 2 iterations. What customers did those benefit?

Fifth, technical innovation appeals to the geek in us. What fun! But there needs to be more than that. It is the writer in you that equates technical improvement with innovation. Put on your business hat. How will you create business innovation using these cool new tools?