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Guest · Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:45 am Post subject: Please help me kill Visual FoxPro

We have an application consisting of a client build using Delphi and a
server in Oracle + PL/SQL. I was involved in building it quite a few years
ago, originally in Delphi 2 and later upgraded to Delphi 4. I really enjoyed
using Delphi as I found it a simple straightforward programming language, an
excellent VCL and IDE.

There are only around 10 users of the front-end who maintain the data.
However the application is critical as there are around 1000 call centre
users accessing data in the database via the stored procedure API.

I now need to make some changes. I'm less hands on than I used to be so
basically I'm specify the changes for a developer.

The problem is that the developer does not have Delphi skills and his only
experience is in Visual FoxPro. He's now proposing to his manager
(unfortunately not me) to rewrite the application using Visual FoxPro.

Apart from the general arguements that I have such as not re-inventing the
wheel, who will maintain the Visual FoxPro code in future, will it be
rewritten by the next developer in VB, etc, I need some arguements against
Visual FoxPro. Other than is being Microsoft, call you please help me with
objective arguements against it. For example I think's it old technology so
how can it be integrated with other applications, how will the database
stand up to 1000 users access the data, etc?

thanks
Ciaran

Uffe Kousgaard · Guest

<harronc (AT) attglobal (DOT) net> wrote

Guest

Unfortunately he's the only one available. Only other option is to hire a
consultant which obviously costs money so would take some time and
bureaucracy.

Ciaran

"Uffe Kousgaard" <look_at_www.routeware.dk> wrote

Kevin Powick · Guest

<harronc (AT) attglobal (DOT) net> wrote:

mamcx · Guest

Hmmm... I work in VFP and more or less i'ma kind of expert on it, with
2000+ clients sucesfully
deployments with it

First, VFP is FAR AWAY the BEST program language for vertical/database
centric application offered by MS (and maybe in general), but bad for
"us" but good for you, this are basic facts about it:

- Is the ugly little sister of the MS tools. Is very KNOW that Vfp have
poor marketing and little support on it. From years, MS have the desire
to switch us to VB and now to .NET. In fact, the more prominent VFP
leaders in conferences talk us how *easy* (liar, liar!) is the move to
..NET (and you, borlanders, complain about Borland/Delphi.NET please!!!
is like complain about the color in a shirt and people are die by
starvation!)
- The #1 reason Vfp is good, is the DB engine+language for data
manipulation (how live the world with patetic Sql???). BUT, the engine
is a)Insecure (not have a safe way for protect the database itself, not
users or roles, no password, NOTHING) b) Is unstable...VERY. Is NOT a
sql engine in the normal sense, is more a Acces but well done. EVERYBODY
i know developing real applications with Foxpro use * Sql Server *MySql
or Firebird * Oracle because this simply reason alone. And if not use
the DB engine, the power of FoxPro is less.
- Hard to find controls, because FoxPro is not build for do applications
like games, GUI controls, Zip tools, Web Servers, Skins, Network
components, ActiveX controls, Word procesors, etc...

Some of this things are doable, with thricks, and is possible call the
API but in comparision to Delphi, is a unfair comparision: Delphi have
everything a FoxPro application want/need (except for the powerfull DB
language). In foxpro, you need something else, you need ActiveX/COM...
final point.

- FoxPro development is really slow. I mean, keep the buzzword in FoxPro
happend TOO late. COM+ is only good with VFP 7/8 , and this happend when
..NET enter the world...too late. Forget ActiveX. VFP have syntax
coloring only in 5, and InteliSense in 7 (2-3 years after VS have that).
Only have basic tools in the MS world like a object inspector (for
COM/ActiveX) in 7. The report engine keep the old way from version 3 to
8 (only in 9 is remade) and the Menu engine is procedural at this point.

The WebService support is very poor (aka: Use Soap Toolkit), build a xml
parser native is only possible in 7/8....

- The principal, main argument against VFP today is: Vfp have NO WAY to
..NET. Is not possible, nor probable that VFP go to .NET. Is more, the
market startegy for VFP is use that for the DataLogic/BussinesLogic in a
application and do the rest in other tools.

In fact, except if the company need leverage VFP code is a BAD move go
to FoxPro today, really all VFP companys in my area (in my area/country
VFP is VERY strong) are moving to .NET or other tools by now.

You can do a practical argument if simply think in the application
non-db tools you build in Delphi, like Zip backups or any network tool.
Ask the VFP guy do that with VFP only: I know for sure, is impossible.

I'm very sad for this guy, not have the support of a VFP team, not have
a company with the Fox spirit and need figth against Delphi... Very sad,
very sad ;)

BOB-O-MATIC · Guest

dbase II, dbase III, dbase IV, Clipper, FoxPro

These are NOT serious corporate application environments.

dsiders · Guest

John Wester [Group W] · Guest

In article <4107e38b$1 (AT) newsgroups (DOT) borland.com>, [email]mudshark (AT) rancidbud (DOT) org[/email]
says...

eshipman · Guest

In article <MPG.1b71942711724f7b9897ba (AT) newsgroups (DOT) borland.com>,
[email]rot13.wjrfgre (AT) gryhf (DOT) arg[/email] says...

damian marquez · Guest

eshipman <mr_delphi_developer@yahoo!!!.com> wrote:

John Kaster (Borland) · Guest

damian marquez in <410849ef (AT) newsgroups (DOT) borland.com> wrote:

eshipman · Guest

In article <410849ef (AT) newsgroups (DOT) borland.com>, [email]dmarquez34 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com[/email]
says...

DS · Guest

John Kaster (Borland) wrote:

John Kaster (Borland) · Guest

DS in <4109741c$1 (AT) newsgroups (DOT) borland.com> wrote:

Edmund · Guest

BOB-O-MATIC sighed and wrote::