I thought I would forward the research on the benefits of SQL2000 CE versus CEDB files.

Here is the benefits I have uncovered so far for using Microsoft SQL Server for CE:

An upwardly compatible SQL grammar with SQL Server 2000

Data Types Data Type Data Types: TinyINT, SmallINT, Integer, BigInt, Real, Numeric, float, bit, binary, varbinary, image, unicode character types, Money, datetime,uniqueidentifier

32 indexes per table WOW!

Null support

Nested transactions
128 bit file encryption built in

DDL (Data Definition Language)support: create databases, create and alter tables, referential integrity, default values

DML (Data Manipulation Language) Support: Insert, update, delete

SELECT functionality includes YEAH YEAH YEAH - SET(aggregate) functions, INNER/OUTER JOIN, subselect, GROUP BY/HAVING YEA BABY!!!!!

Scrollable and forward-only cursors

Remote Data Access (RDA) to SQL Server 6.5 or higher

Merge Replication with SQL SErver 2000

WHAT IT DOES NOT HAVE:

NO stored procedures
NO triggers
NO rules

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST Rudimentary tools for managing databases but from what I have read it, with !!!!!"A FOOTPRINT OF 1MB"!!!!, it provides a million miles of functionality and performance over Windows CE property (CEDB) databases.