Comments on: The Fox Community – Needs Your Continued Support

By: Michael Hogan

Michael Hogan — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:29:26 +0000

I really appreciate the superhuman efforts of a precious few (like you) who keep the vital VFPX and SWFOX efforts alive – and I will morne the days each person drops out of that elite group. I humbly do my best on the local level in Chicago.

I suggest we leverage the strong bu disbursed community we have – which is strong in several geographic locations. Let’s start by recording user group and conference presentations and making them accessible online, using Webex (or similar) for recording and managing distribution from a central location.

I don’t know if you would see this as detracting from the excellent SWFox convention you help organize, and I don’t know a suitable posting area for these recorded presentations, but the folks here at Chicago FUDG are beginning to explore the concept with some other regional user groups.

If anyone has suggestions regarding a recording and hosting mechanism for such presentations, we’d love to hear them.

By: Virgil Bierschwale

Virgil Bierschwale — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:38:01 +0000

Well said…

Virgil
Keep America At Work

By: Jim Tooley

Jim Tooley — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:46:08 +0000

Very good description of the state of current affairs with VFP. I admit to being one of those ‘watchers’ mainly because I know my skill set is quite low on the pole. I religiously attend the VFP Users Group in Madison, WI and sit next to people who can blow the socks off applications using VFP.

As a suggestion, maybe the User Group leaders could get support for VPFX started within their regional groups. They have a sense of the abilities of their members and could dole out (request) support efforts based on that.

Besides a toe in the water with VFP, everyone does have other abilities that could be tapped. I’d love to help our best friend (VFP) survive and thrive. For what it has done for me in my life, I’ll find the time.

By: Cesar

Cesar — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:14:55 +0000

Hi Rick,
Thanks for posting this. Unfortunately, I have to agree with every word you’ve put here. I really feel the same frustration.
People tend to stay just watching for other people to move things for them, instead of participating.
It is very common to see people asking if the core of VFP will become Open Source. Generally people who ask that are the ones who would not do anything with it. They forget that VFP already provides lots of ways for us to enhance the language and the IDE, using hooks and enhancing the tools we already have. PEM editor is probably the best example of this.

Creating new controls is also possible, just look at the amazing job that Carlos Alloatti did. Modern looking controls ? We have the themed controls, and all the utilities created by Bernard Bout. We have a new charts tool as well. Lots of new printing possibilities, with many custom report listeners, FoxyPreviewer and ReportSculptor.

Can we go further ?

OF COURSE !!!

People just have to understand if they want the continuity of VFP that they have to support these initiatives, testing, providing feedback, suggestions, reporting bugs, sending new codes. Everyone is very welcome !

Participating in open source projects, such as VFPX and others is the best opportunity a developer can have, exchanging experiences, learning new ways to do things, getting new ideas, breaking paradigmas. Usually these projects are very challenging, and working in groups will make you grow to unexpected and high levels.

That is a UNIQUE opportunity.
Lots of cool, promising and very useful projects are already there. But they are just needing some more help to become mature.

By: Mark S. Winston

Mark S. Winston — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:01:47 +0000

Rick, FWIW: (1) Most of the considerable volunteer efforts that I have been involved with over the past 40 years — either organizational development or project execution — have been dependent on a relatively few, exceptionally enthusiastic people to keep carrying most of the water. (2) A general, broadcast call for volunteers is much less effective than reaching out to people one at a time, tapping them on the shoulder, and asking for specific help. (3) Expect that, of those in (2) who say yes, only a portion will actually follow through, so never let yourself become overly dependent on an unproven “committer.” (4) The ones who actually follow through on their initial commitments are the best prospects for dependably assuming ongoing volunteer responsibility!