> > As a VFP programmer I am indeed worried about the fact that the MS marketing on VFP stinks.
> > Any possibility I see I will use to "tell the world" about VFP.
> > Today I found an article on ZiffDavis.com about the diminishing of .NET another blunder of MS marketing.
> > I used that to send the following reaction, I just wanted to share this with yer'all.
> > In case any of you might see possibilities to "tell the world" about the fox please take your chance and do so.
> > I do not foresee any increased marketing efforts coming from MS now that they did shoot themselves in the foot once more.
> > Any idea in this context is welcome.
> >
> > *****
> > Indeed I think, as a developer with 10+ years experience, that from the start MS never gave any good thought about what to achieve with .NET.
> > I made it thus .NJET for me.
> > Comes to mind what my late father learned me as a kid: "Something you cannot explain in clear and concise words is not really thought through."
> >
> > In my not so humble opinion, I think this .NET thing falls in the same category as developing application based on a browser interface.
> > Browser interfaces simply miss the immediate interaction with users that desktop interfaces do have.
> > The argument that in this way (using browser interfaces) databases anywhere on the world could be contacted is overruled with the use of MySQL, the ODBC
> > driver that ships with it makes it possible for any development tool to contact a database anywhere on the world.
> >
> > Whatever people say about MS as a marketing machine, the marketing folks at Redmond seem to forget that MS has indeed one extremely stable development
> > tool that is quite under-estimated, in all the fuzz around cool, fantastic,hot (or whatever you can come up with) .NET. I am talking here about MS
> > Visual FoxPro.
> > In its 8th version already VFP has developed from a tool that has an xBase background to a tool that can be used to handle data of any source with ease
> > at an unbeatable speed and with good OOP implementation. Big applause for the VFP programmers team in Redmond for their efforts!
> > Comparing development of applications in VFP vs the same activity in .NET is like comparing the speed of a ferrari (VFP) to a T-ford (.NJET).
> > Only about 25% of the time is needed to develop an app in VFP compared to .NJET.
> >
> > CEO's and decisionmakers in any type of business should be clear in their desires for quick and flawless development of the apps they need.
> > Another encouraging fact is the attempts of mr Paul McNett (p@ulmcNett.com) to make VFP work on the linux platform using Wine. He is making incredible
> > improvements.
> > This shows that the development efforts of those programmers using VFP is not restricted to the windows platform but can be extended to other, fast
> > growing platforms, as well.
> > One of the main reasons for using the predecessor of VFP, FP(W), was that this tool could develop code for Windows, Unix, Dos and MAC.
> > With these efforts those times seem to return once more.
> >
> > The datacentric language of VFP and its OOP implementation make it a tool of choice for any developer who has a desire to develop applications fast.
> > The possibility to implement any COM component, developed in eg C++ or VB, with ease and the fact that apps developed in VFP can serve as COM components for
> > other languages make VFP the flexible tool any developer is looking for!
> >
> > Boudewijn Lutgerink
> > The Netherlands
> > Boudewijn.Lutgerink@foxite.com
> > Experience is the knowledge you get immediately AFTER you actually needed it...
>
>
>
>
> Hi - Pete's Input
>
> I am a multi-language developer. I develop in VB 6.0, C++, Clarion 4GL, and Oracle 2000 Developer.
> I now am learning Visual Studio.net... "Just a Beginner!"
>
> I have been involved with Fox since 1986, under Fox Version 1.02. I was one of the original beta
> testers with Fox, b4 Microsoft bought out Fox Software. So I understand the Fox intellect, and
> their main thrusts.
>
> Micosoft took in most of the key Fox developers, and I have seen the main goals of Fox being
> retained into all the upgrades. Backward compatibility is alway there. Database connectivity
> has always been there. Strength in string, numeric, and date manipulations have always been
> there. Database as a primary thrust has always been there... and stronger today than ever !
> In this I do have to say "beat me if you wish !", Microsoft has done an excellent job at retaining
> and enhancing this product.
>
> Marketing is where the real issue really is, "where the rubber meet the road."
>
> Why on God's earth Microsoft picked Visual Basic as their flagship, I have no idea. I walked into
> my current job as a system analyst, and also the Oracle DBA. Our corporate standard was
> Visual Basic, and over the first year in my new position I challenged my corporation on the
> development language of choice. I guess this was a hards sell... due to the marketing that
> MS does on it's languages.
>
> However, patience has paid off. I have proven beyond a shadow of doubt that VFP is the better
> language of choice. I have written letters to corporate over this several times. My last letter
> used these words:
>
> "Writting your new application with Visual Basic is like trying to eat soup with a fork !"
> I did not receive a reply.... they just gave up.
>
> I had a cororate IT representive visit out IT department, and showed him how easy it
> was to create a Word Object / Excel object and automate Word and Excel using VFP.
> I as well demonstrated to him how I could connect to virtually any backend using VFP.
>
> My supervisor, who is our team leader and I am the backup team leader; so in our
> workplace there is little distinction over levels. We operation on a team group type of
> concensus. She has definately been converted. She has seen devlopment time drop
> dramitically over the past 2 years. In real time I can produce the same application
> using VFP in about 1/4 the time it would take using VB 6.0
>
> On top of that I can extract data using VFP with datamining to what-ever the
> backend is.
>
> I have proven to my IT group that VFP is highly optimized in a multi-user environment.
> I rate native VFP dbf's as 3 times faster that a native Oracle backend on a large multi-user
> network environment. I have done the bench-marking to prove this.
>
> We rercently added a new employee to out IT department. He came from a Visual
> Basic background. He has been totally blown away by what he can do using VFP,
> another VFP convert. You may see posts by Travis Pick on the forum, he works with
> me. He after 3 months using VFP is at a total loss why MS would push Visual Basic.
>
> I guess a lot of times we are directed from coporate staff, and a lot of times we do not
> push. Well... push !
>
> My message to you all is it is up to you. Makes a business case and layout the pros and
> cons. Money talks... and labour hours for developers are a primary consideration of
> corporate IT people.
>
> This took me a year, but I am unchallenged now in my position. I have been at coporate
> IT meetings and have litteral taken some apart in what language to develop in. Not to be
> cruel, but sitting down at my workstation and walking though what I can do has been my
> best method to promote VFP.
>
> As I told Gale today, "Who says corporate standards are correct !"
>
> Money talk... do not loose sight of this prime directive !
>
> For the member of this forum that know me... and have seen any code examples that I
> have published. I am not fancy... I concentrate on very basic principals in code.
> VFP is a simply language... nothing fancy to do fancy things. If you understand:
>
> DO While
> ...
> Enddo
>
>
> If you understand;
> Scan
> .....
> Endscan
>
>
> If you understand:
> If...
> ....
> Else
> ....
> Endif
>
> If you understand basic OOP:
> Thisform.txtbox.Enable=.T.
>
> If you have a beginners understanding of Select sytax....
> SELECT [feld list]
> FROM [tables]
> WHERE [condition]
> ORDER BY [order fields]
>
> You can work wonders in this very simple programming language !
>
> Pete from the Great White North. (Only in Canada, ay.) Over and Out ...

Since we already have the "store" , i think it will be great if we put all of the things we say
in literature, how about launching a book titled "VFP@FOXITE.COM" , foxite could really
rake in profits , since majority of the resources of the books will come from all of us foxers.


Regards,
Foxpro Child

On Error Goto Hell