>Why is it that when you get a cursor from SqlExec() using SQL Pass-through calls, you get a ReadWrite type of cursor back,

Remote views are always writable, and that's what SQLEXEC() returns.

> If you build a SQL Select command against local tables, you have to specify "ReadWrite" in the SQL command?

Well, that was SELECT is meant to do originally, isn't it: Returning a result set.<g> Practically, READWRITE made it into the language much later. Changing the behavior of the SELECT command wouldn't be a good idea, as you can see from all the discussion around the SET ENGINEBEHAVIOR command.

> What would it hurt to just always get a ReadWrite cursor back from local Select calls?

Optimization is a big reason. A lot of application wouldn't suddenly slow down dramatically when all result sets are created with READWRITE.