I didn't want to jump in on this one but you guys are killing me. I realize that we programmers are creatures of habit. Use m. or don't its up to you. But make no mistakes, it is not about academics or asthetics, it is about performance. And I quote Calvin:

>>Restated: if you have VFP code that accesses a variable with a syntax that *could* be a >>field reference, and there is a possibility that a cursor is open in the current workarea >>as well, preface that variable with “m.” for better performance. VFP then “knows” that it >>can’t be a field name.

>>A 2 gigahertz processor can execute a loop of 255 integer compares with an array of >>structure members very quickly, but if that loop can be eliminated with a minor code >>change, then why not?

How can you argue with that? Did everyone even read the post? m. Short circuits the fieldname look-up. Can't we all just get m.Along?