Ken,


First, let me say that I think it is a good idea to seek suggestions from your customer base on ways to improve the product. Still, this is a cruel excercise...

On one hand, you say:

>
We are not yet convinced that this is the best route to for using .NET classes with VFP. You can easily create a COM wrapper around most .NET classes, then have VFP call that component and have the same functionality. There are only a few exceptions, but just realize that there are benefits of using Visual Studio and any of the .NET languages to use .NET framework classes directly rather than using a utility that does the COM/.NET interop for you with various overhead and issues involved.
>

Stopping here, you set up the premise - which is so far stacked-up against the idea that a utility in Fox would be created. It is not like you are on the fence here. Looking at this, it would appear you are 99% sure that it would be an EIF (Excercise in Futility) to have such a utility in Fox. And yet, you want to throw it to see if you can get convinced that the utility would have a demonstrable benefit. All the while, you have people scrambling and wracking their brains to come up with ideas that pass muster.

Let's go on...

>
What I need is very specific examples and explainations as to why being able to call certain (identified) .NET Framework classes from within VFP directly would be useful as compared to using a .NET language with a COM wrapper. Think about it, then send me some comments. :)
>

This is crazy... You are asking for something that you - based on your own words - have basically made your mind. FWIW, I agree technically with the premise. That said, it is so far and away - a slam dunk that it is an absurd idea. I have to tell you Ken, I had to check to calendar to see if it was not April 1 - because your solicitation is like a cruel April Fools-Day joke.

I don't know which party I have more contempt for. You - becuase you would throw this idea out - getting people all worked up over it or the people making suggestions - believing the idea has merit...

By your own post here Ken - you have basically told people, "Look, we are 99.999% sure this is a non-starter. But...if you have an idea - send it our way"... This is like saying "If it fits within the strategic focus of MS, we will start marketing the product. Please give us suggestions on how to market Fox in case we decide to go this route"...

All that said, if you guys are really serious about delivering value, then why not add features that could be of use - like real com debugging, better integration with sql server, ability to define events, etc. These are things your customer base - A - could use and B - have asked for a long time. This nonense regarding a utility is just that - nonsense and absurd. It is devoid of any technical or business merit. What are you guys thinking about????

Ken, you are a bud - have been for along time. As you know, I keep it real - and because I have respect for you - I deal with you on the straight and narrow.