Over the last five days I have received personal messages (other developers I am mentoring) and also seen several posts on FoxForum, ProFox, TechTips, and other sites questions that were simply answered in recent issues of FoxTalk and the Advisor Guide to Visual FoxPro (FoxPro Advisor).
Maybe some developers find it easier to post a question on the favorite site, but think of the knowledge you are missing by not subscribing. Wisdom from fellow developers. Developers struggling with the same day-to-day development you are struggling with. Developers who are more than willing to share their knowledge with anyone willing to read their articles.
Is it the cost? Is it the time to invest in reading? Is it the lack of knowing there are excellent publications to subscribe to for FoxPro content? Is your boss not willing to pay for it?
I can tell you I have subscribed to both mags for more than a decade. Always out of my own pocket. The reason is simple: I invest in my career. I also did not want to share with my co-workers each month when the issues arrived. I want my own set of archives. I read them on my own time. The investment has paid off in a big way.
Both FoxTalk and Advisors Guide to Visual FoxPro have online content. You can download solutions and examples immediately. In one case, the developer was looking for ideas on managing security and Doug Hennig is in the middle of a series on Security Roles and has a Security Manager object in the downloads. For US$79, the developer looking for ideas can get everything he needs to get started with an online subscription. Several other developers were experiencing the “Variable _REPORTOUTPUT is not found” error when the VFP 9 Report applications are not distributed with your application. Uwe Habermann’s article in FoxTalk clearly addresses all the runtime issues Fox developers face with the new reporting engine. Brilliant article.
Make it a belated New Year’s resolution to subscribe to these periodicals if you are not doing so. Save yourself a bundle of time and money by investing US$180. Do it now so you do not have to worry another minute on the excellent reading you are missing. Go ahead, it won’t hurt.
Thanks for posting this, Rick. As someone who’s spent more than 15 years answering people’s FoxPro questions online and also writes for publication, I’m often frustrated when I point someone to an article that exactly answers their question and am told they don’t subscribe, so I should explain it in a posting.
I’m also aware of the difference between an article that covers a topic in depth and an online answer. Both have great value, but an article gives you more than just the immediate solution. A good article gives you the background understanding that makes sense of the solution and often gives you the next steps.
In addition, reading the magazines regularly helps you get a handle on what’s coming down the pike, what topics you should be paying attention to, even if you don’t need them this week.
Tamar
Absolutely great insight Tamar (you should be blogging – nudge, nudge).
I thought my posting might sound a little grumpy because of the kind of day I a having, but my point has been heard based on the feedback I am getting {g}.