Re: VFP 9 on Windows 98 SE

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Rush Strong (rush.strong)
Date: 06/09/04 

Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 19:38:09 -0700

"Gene Wirchenko" <genew@mail.ocis.net> wrote in message
news:b7fac091vjk5uvk7gth7766uosv8f3e8ia@4ax.com...
<snip>
> >> Nope. I have no problem using Windows 98. Before you go on
> >> about how lousy it is, let me point out that it was being used at one
> >> time as the latest thing. If your requirements are such that you need
> >> something else, then go with the something else.
> >
> > [Rush here]
> >Single sided floppies were also once the rage. But in this case, I don't
> >see it as Win98 vs XP, but as 6.0 vs. 8.0. The productivity enhancements
> >have been huge, and the only reason that you would'nt recoup your
expenses
> >(both in product cost and in training) is if you were . . .
>
> However, if someone does not need to change, why should they? In
> the extreme case you give, there are not many. However, where I bank,
> they had recently (and may well still have) a computer running Windows
> 3.x. (I am assuming this as the display looks like Windows 3.x.)

I believe that banks are also a major segemnt of the OS/2 market.

> >> . . . not using all the bells and whistles of VFP.
> >
> >In which case you are spending your boss's money irresponsibly. Why are
you
>
> Oh, nonsense. If a feature gets added, I have to use it? Can
> you say bloat?
>
> And I am talking about *not* spending it.

My point is that if you are not using the productivity features of VFP, you
are spending money on a product whose features you don't use, and spending
more time coding as a result.

Maybe the majority of us are wrong. Maybe Intellisense is a dumb idea.
Some would agree.

But I wouldn't go back. And as an independant programmer, I'm very
sensative to what I spend. It comes out of my hip pocket, not out of the
company's treasury.

It's like a commercial framework. No, it isn't perfect. Yes, I could write
my own. But if I wasn't convinced that it was saving me time (which = $), I
wouldn't keep renewing to my favorite. It is an investment, not an expense.

> >FoxPro does NOT accomplish what other programs cannot. But it does have
a
> >damn fine IDE - and to /not/ spend the time learning how to use the tools
> >that you have means that you're either ignorant or that you confuse
expense
> >with investment. (Fortunately, ignorance can be treated.)
>
> You have tools that work for you that are different from mine. I
> can accept this.
>
> I have tools that work for me that are different from yours. Why
> can you not accept this?

Why then, do you use a tool whose features you eschew?

<snip>

> If you will look at the original post in this thread, I believe
> you can reasonably infer that I have, in fact, downloaded the VFP 9
> beta.

Immaterial - if you don't use the tools in version 6, you probably aren't
prepared (or inclined) to use the tools in version 9. Have you tried using
it, full time, looking for its features, for a week?

<more snip>

> >And finally, don't make yourself a dinosaur. You may have a good gig
now,
> >but if you find yourself job hunting?
>
> That could be interpreted as dropping VFP. After all, have we
> not heard all the rumours? I suppose I could ask Whil Hentzen his
> view on the matter.

Yes, it could. But if you stay with the Fox, you are in a small pond. And
when you are a fish in a small pond, it helps to be a quicker fish than the
one who was next to you. And having /current/ experience in software is,
believe it or not, something that employers look for.

 - Rush

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