>Never heard of it being called "MSDE" but it's apparent that MS is phasing out Jet in favor of a scalable version of SQL Server 7.0 that can be worked with natively in Access2000. So...apparently, we're going to have some stiffer Access competition in 12-18 months or so.

My thoughts exactly. Interesting thing is this article states that Microsoft denied their first article calling this a scaled down version of SQL 7.0, yet basically said otherwise at this PDC event.

>BTW: Is it just me, or does giving Access users easy, native access to enterprise server data give one the willies? :-)

Yes!!! And I tell you what else gives me the willies -
Power Users setting up their own Access application with this MSDE back end, then a year or so later when it's stretched to it's limit and needs to N tier to continue being effective and WE have to come in and redo the sucker with a better tool yet still a maintain Access interface. < shiver > I don't know why but the phrase "separation of church and state" comes to mind here :)