>>I didn't mean that I didn't understand the TPC rankings. I meant that I didn't understand their real world meaning, since the chart doesn't explain what I've witnessed in terms of usage. One would expect from the chart to see SQL used much more frequently then it is.
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>Since when has value/quality determined marketshare? Besides, I don't think SQL has always looked so good- it lagged behind for a long time and gave Oracle lots of time to take marketshare.
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I remember back in the early 90's, I was at a client's large refinery facility. I noticed several fairly large software boxes with "Oracle" logos. I thought to myself "Cool. I wonder what that is." Oracle has been the database of choice for many years for enterprises, and as a result enjoys a large infrastructure and market share. SQL Server 2000 and the other 2000 servers claim that they can finally attain the same level (or better) of scalability and reliability as the competition at the enterprise level. SQL 6.5/7.0 have definitely made inroads with smaller installations, but 2000 still has to prove itself in real-world enterprise environments. Of course, Microsoft will continue to grow its market share, but it is nice to know that they don't rule the entire world.

For developers new to client/server, I agree that SQL Server is the best choice in most cases.