Why Visual FoxPro?

Visual FoxPro is an excellent development environment for business applications. It is a robust language enjoying a long history of enhancements and improvements. It is a truly object-oriented language, including advanced functionality such as inheritance. Its future at Microsoft is strong. They have committed to continue to develop Visual FoxPro and have announced the release of a new version early in 2001. Microsoft has billed Visual FoxPro as the 'premier' tool for building the middle tier in n-tier applications.

In selecting a Microsoft tool we were steered by this basic logic:

The oldest argument in the book is the feud between the Visual Basic and the Visual FoxPro camps. We chose Visual FoxPro because it is truly object oriented. Visual Basic is object based. It lacks inheritance, one of the fundamental components of object-oriented design. Visual Basic does not have a built in database. Visual Basic does not have a language centered around database programming. We build business applications. They usually are centered around tracking several databases. We use Visual FoxPro.

Visual FoxPro has an excellent community of developers. We all work together to solve problems and support our channel. Microsoft has stated that the Visual FoxPro community is the model that they would like to see all of their tools achieve. There is excellent communications and teamwork. We are proud to be a member of the FoxPro community.

Some of the benefits of Visual FoxPro are:

1. Standard Microsoft tool. You have the benefit of knowing that there are thousands of developers that use the same tools we do.

2. Standard Microsoft database. Drivers are available to access Visual FoxPro's database from other office products.

3. We can also work with other data sources such as Microsoft SQL Server. We have even used ODBC data drivers to code front ends for old DOS accounting systems in Visual FoxPro to bring them to the Windows platform.

4. We use the latest version and service pack for the language. The technology used for your project will be stable and reliable.

5. The robust language afforded by Visual FoxPro allows us to code data-intensive applications quickly and efficiently. Your project will cost less.

6. Excellent add-on tools and frameworks are available for Visual FoxPro. We don't have to reinvent the wheel on every project. Again, lowering costs.

7. Visual FoxPro does not have run-time system costs. Even the FoxPro database has no end-user licensing fees. Visual FoxPro provides us with a robust, efficient development environment. Your project will be cost effective and stable. This Microsoft standard tool provides excellent flexibility and data access.

Visual FoxPro provides us with a robust, efficient development environment. Your project will be cost effective and stable. This Microsoft standard tool provides excellent flexibility and data access.