To Fox or not to fox

[TomSlayton]

Hi,

I know that this question comes up every once in a while. I have an opportunity to start a new application and was considering VFP or VB.NET as a front end to a MySQL server. I love to program in Fox and think VB.NET is okay, too.

This is essentially a forms over data application that will need to be around for a while 5+ years. There will be lots of reports and forms. 50+ users.

What do you think? And what do you think about the VFP report writer in comparison to using RDLC reports in .NET?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[craigber]

@foxmulder2: There are no speed issues with SQL Server if your network is done right. If the network is not designed correctly, then VFP, with data on the server, will be even worse that SQL Server.

For generall processing, form development / maintenance, the east with with classes are constructed / extended, and the base ability to do pretty much anything through extensions using DLLs. That describes .NET perfectly. I don't give a hoot about XP nor Win2K. If you're using those, especially WIn2K, you're doing your business a disservice. The cost of maintaining those old OSes, of keeping the properly updated and running, and malware free, isn't worth it.

There is not a single limit that exists in .Net for a developer who can code. And most of it is possible inside .Net without going to external DLLs.

Craig Berntson
MCSD, Visual C# MVP,

http://www.craigberntson.com/blog

 

[foxmuldr2]

---That describes .NET perfectly. I don't give a hoot about XP nor Win2K. If you're using those, especially WIn2K, you're doing your business a disservice. The cost of maintaining those old OSes, of keeping the properly updated and running, and malware free, isn't worth it.

We have paid for Win2K. We have paid for WinXP. We have licenses for that stuff already. There's NO reason not to continue using them, except that you enjoy spending money on new, unnecessary stuff.

Modern $600 multi-core, multi-gigabyte RAM computers can also handle multiple instances of those much-smaller-footprint OSes running inside a VM on a single box, making another grand contribution to computing. I have done client/server testing on a single machine, all running WinXP (or Win2003 Server).

In any event, such arguments are religious. On my side, .NET costs a lot of money. You have to buy expensive servers, use a framework that consumes far more resources than it needs to, is slower than native code, installs for gigabytes of unnecessary layers of code because the Win32 OS itself already has everything that .NET provides, just perhaps not in as slick a package, which is where VFP9 and a few select custom DLLs come into play. And for MOST computing tasks, none of the new advantages are necessary. Users want to be able to access data, have nice input screens, generate simple reports, make backups, receive updates, etc. All of these are possible on existing technologies that everybody has already bought and paid for.

VFP9 was bought and paid for years ago. The Windows licenses were bought and paid for years ago. The hardware they run (if it still works) is already bought and paid for. And replacing those machines with newer equipment isn't nearly as expensive because you can buy far lower-end equipment and even have performance increases.

To each his own. Enjoy .NET in the cloud. There will be plenty of business for you up there. I'll stick around down here with the outcasts on the local LAN with local data storage in local tables or running on our own local servers.

I have no doubts you'll fare both financially and by reputation far better than I will. And that's great.

Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin

 

[clipper01]

Jeez , Tom , look what u started .....

 

[TomSlayton]

It is good to hear the debates. I'd love to do the app in fox but I am concerned about the future.

I tend to think that the best thing to do is just drop fox go for .net and not look back.

The thing is that I have programmed in VFP for so long and I really enjoy it.

The other thing is that MS doesn't instill a lot of trust in me b/c of the way they have handled fox and the developers. Who's to say they won't drop .net in the next five years.

They probably won't; who knows.

 

[foxmuldr2]

I would be amazed if Microsoft ever dropped .NET. I can see it evolving, but not being dropped.

Microsoft has stated that Windows Azure is to be THE operating system of the next 50 years. It's .NET replete.

Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin

 

[clipper01]

Tom ,
Best of luck with your project. I've done a few dotNet ones that use SSRS ( RDLC's ) extensively , one a Sage 200 add-on which I cannot share as it is client data , the other an Adventure Works demo to work out various methods etc . I will convert that one to replicate the reports with ActiveReports / compare the two and post the demo on my ftp site soon. I find it is always very helpful to look at an app and find out " how is that done " ... perhaps others might also share their VFP-to-dotNet experiences
Sean M

 

[SBTBILL]

The problem with VFP is that it isn't made anymore. Someone needs to come out with a similar product. Been doing VB for about a year. It just isn't as good.

 

[foxmuldr2]

I began working on Visual FreePro in 2010. It supported Windows and Linux. I developed the class structure, had most of the internal support for programs and message queues written, and was beginning to work on the command parser and function support. I had planned to get it up to a certain point and release it as free software under the GPLv3. I never got it completed.

My goal was 80% direct compatibility with VFP. 15% compatibility with a few modifications. And I was going to throw out about 5% of VFP and add some new stuff I'd like to see, such as table objects and simple screen graphics through OpenGL.

to = CreateObject("alias", "c:\path\to\table.dbf")
to.GotoTop()
lnRecno = to.Seek(lcSearchString, lcIndexTag)
to.SetTag(lcIndexTag)
to.Reindex(lcIndexTag)
to.Locate(lcExpression)
to.Continue()
to.Replace(field, data, field, data, etc...)
to.Clone(lnFromRecno) && Creates a new record which matches the source record

Etc.

I agree. VFP should never have been killed off. A huge loss to the developer world.

Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin