>I reply with great respect to your expertise and abilities. On some points I agree, with some I don't.

Please John, there is no need to preface your statements like this.


>I don't disagree with this, technically, *but* will MS ever expose White >Papers to the general developer community entailing an app with VFP >middleware? I'm not holding my breath.

They are exposed. The fact that they are on www.microsoft.com/vfoxpro is not exposed enough. It is just as easy for a VB developer to look at those white papers as it is for me. Whether a VB - or some other developer outside the VFP community choose to lurk is beyond my control. If you go to the Visual Studio site, there is a link to the VFP site. If your beef is with the fact that there are a lack of links on MSDN, I would agree with you here. It would be nice to see at least 1 link at all times there.



>Yes, yes, and yes. But, doggone it (harsher words are in mind but I respect >Michels rules :)), how am I to justify VFP middleware to a client (or MIS >manager) if I do not have a single definitive reference from Microsoft?? Or >single ad detailing that function.

I am not sure who looks bad here... Microsoft or your client<s>. Then again, thats why folks like us exist<s>. Clients believe the propaganda and have no concept of the signal to noise ratio. Have you shown the client the VFP strategy backgrounder? Why do they not want to go with VFP? Be careful what you ask for as you might get it. They may bring up reasons which are totally legitimate for not wanting to go with VFP.

>I really, truly don't.

I know you don't. It was a general statement.


>I have yet to run into a hardcore VB developer who understood squat about VFP >at all. Look at my threads on the DEVX.COM newsgroups.

Yes, VB developers often have a hard time understanding data in general. With respect to your posts, you really got into a flame war over there and was actually pretty disappointed in that. Sorry to say, but you did post some inaccurate stuff over there.

>You know that, I know that. But without documented support from MS, how do we >sell it to clients??? This is a *very* real concern, John. If you're an IT >worker in a large shop, your manager is going to want case studies or articles >before he approves it; likewise a client will want some proof-of-concept and >blessing from MS.

There are case studies and whitepapers from MS with regard to VFP. Also, it depends on what you are doing. Some things are better done in VFP - others are better done in VB. If I were you, I would get an hour of that managers time, and show him VFP and VB side by side and PROVE to him why VFP is better. You need to be a salesman here. Nobody said it would be easy.


>John, buddy, I *always* have the right to bitch :) Email me details on your TechEd session in New Orleans in June and, my bosses willing, I will be there. With bells on.

Go to www.microsoft.com/events/teched