>Is there a special reason why SQL Server runs only in WINNT? Magic's Pervasive.SQL Server runs in 4 different platforms. Anybody here could give an idea as how Pervasive SQL perform?

It might have something to do with the fact that MS wrote both NT and SQL Server; they don't have a great deal of interest in supporting their product running under a different environment.

Only the server portion of SQL Server needs NT - you can access a running SQL server with applications running Win9x, NT and non-Wintel platforms. Only the server itself must have NT.

Other vendors that don't sell a server operating system are far more likely to develop cross-platform servers. If you told us what platform and hardware you were looking to run the server from, people might have other suggestions.

I have no clue about the relative performance of Pervasive's Pervasive 2000 Server product; have you checked their Web site (www.pervasive.com)?