[link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=57664|Read about my recent experience with SQL Server 2000] you may want to consider using an older version unless you like half the database going missing or reventing to an earlier version or some other stuff like that. Maybe when SQL Server 2000 SP3 comes out they will fix it? No explination can be found so far for why this happened.

I can't say about DB2, I tried it before but forgot about what I did with it. Go get the trial of DB2 and see for yourself what it can do. Obviously since I last evaluated it, it got changed. I hope for the better.

But if you have a small shop, you can get by with a small database for a while. Until a lot of people start hitting it, like 20 or more, then consider one of the bigger ones.

Office XP Pro and SQL Server 2000, both have MSDE 2000 on it in the MSDE directory. It is basically a mini-SQL Server 2000 without all the extra stuff. My Coworkers hate it for some reason, don't ask me why. They forced me to take it off of my laptop. Apparently I committed a sin by installing it for development work at home for the firm I work for? I still cannot connect to their SQL Server over the VPN they gave me. So I tried to copy the database to the MSDE Server so I could work at home. Silly me, trying to get work at home when every force in the Universe is conspiraing against me!