I think that's the wrong approach. As you've said, you'll use the minimum capabilities of each, but you won't get any of the benefits out of any of them. You should pick one database server and learn how to use it well, and taking advantage of its benefits.

With the approach you want, your application will have to do key generation, referential integrity, and other things that are the responsibility of the database. You also won't be able to use stored procedures.

FWIW, you should be able to do the minimum with SSMS without a book. Right-clicking in the treeview will give you all the things you need.


>Thanks for the suggestions, so far.
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>Want to add that my main concern is not regarding SQL - the language itself (not that I am an SQL expert, on the contrary), but as I downloaded SQL Server 2008 Express, want to learn how to deal with it and the SQL Server Management Studio for creataing databases, tables etc.
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>As I don't plan to be a database administrator, need to learn just the basics in order to develop, test and deploy/distribute VFP apps using SQL Server, which I have NO idea how that is done.
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>After all I can't use SQL Server in its in depth capabilities, because one client or another may wanto to use Oracle, MySQL or any other SQL software. So the developed app should rely on the (minimum) capabilities that could be found in all of them.
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>Thanks agan!