I have not read this article yet, but as I know System.Data.ADO is a part of .NET framework and still based on OLE DB technology.
XML proposed as universal format of storing and transferring data and can't replace any technology of data accessing.

>I was reading "The XML Files" on MSDN magazine (Sep/2001, page 31) and they say:
>"[...]it seems obvious that OLE DB would never become a true universal standard for exposing information because it faced competition from other vendors. Since OLE DB is a COM technology and COM itself never became universally supported across platforms, it never really stood a chance."
>Boy this is certainly a surprise to me. MS is openly disaccrediting their own stuff, that "incredible and powerful" technology that they advertised and pushed so much just a few years ago.
>The new technology to replace OLE DB accorgind to this article is, of course, XML.
>I wonder what MS will say about .NET a few years from now...