>I have just discovered MSDE and the wonderful idea that one car write a desktop/shared application and upsize the database later to SQLS without changing any code.
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>I am an experienced VFP developer but MSDE has GOT to be the way to develop database applications now - the only problem is that I'm totally unfamiliar with ADO and have no desire to use the data control - my work requires rather specific database controls.
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>Can anyone give me a quick run through of what programming MSDE (or SQL Server) entails and point me in the direction of a good book that covers the basics of VB up to ADO programming?

If you plan to go into the VB's yard (as you said in the final paragraph), the most complete book I have read is the "Hitchhiker's guide to Visual Basic & SQL Server" by William R. Vaughn (at Microsoft Press). I have read the 5th edition (covering VB5 and DAO/RDO). I know that the 6th edition is now covering VB6 and ADO (in addition to DAO/RDO). This book is of little help if your not using SQL Server (or MSDE).