>I'd argue that it certainly *does* belong there - just that the option isn't well supported :-}
>
>Well, I've seen several companies that have stated specific reasons why they wanted to keep them external (reasons ranging from flexibility to system issues I described earlier) - I have yet to see or hear any stated requirement/reason to keep them in the database.

Here's one.

I worked for a company a few years ago where we were developing a VFP app against SQL for military use. All images had to be stored in the DB because the military would not allow them stored elsewhere, such as on the hard drive or network.

Don't ask me, because I don't get it either, but that was the requirement.