>>>>There are better ways to get to external data than hard-coded IMPORT. They've been telling us this for years.
>>>
>>>I must have missed those talks. Do you have *any* reference? I'd really appreciate that.
>>
>>
>>The lack of enhancements to the IMPORT command to support newer file formats, as described by Dan, should tell us all we need to know.
>
>Yes, I understand you're implying here. But Dan wrote that 'they' have been telling it us for years. I'm curious to at least one such reference. You are not, obviously. That's fine. Hopefully you respect my curiosity.


Of course I do. I just don't think Dan meant they said so in a direct public statement. You asked the question of him so I will bow out and let him speak for himself.