It depends on what you consider "small scale". There is a user/connectivity and a database size limitation with MSDE.

Even though dbf files have a similar size limitation, usually one dbf file does not in itself maintain all the data an app needs. In general I'd say using native dbf tables would allow for larger data.

As for user/connectivity, you'd have to be a pretty sorry programmer not to be able to beat MSDE's inherent connectivity limitation. On the other hand, using pooled connections you could be pretty robust there as well.

From a suitability standpoint I'd look at security, data size/growth and does the end user care what type of "container" the data is in. MSDE wins on security, VFP probably wins on data size/growth and it's a tie if the user doesn't care what the "container" is.

If you're going to use MSDE, buy a copy of SQL Server 2000 Developer Edition. The price is down in the $40's now and you'll want it to maintain your MSDE databases, if nothing else.

Jim Eddins
dbx-Technologies
www.FoxToolbox.com

>Could someone who has used MSDE in a released project comment on its' suitability for small scale applications where the installation of a proper SQL Server system is not possible due to cost or infra-structure limitations?
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>Furthermore, how did you justify using MSDE when native VFP data would give much better performance (or wouldn't it)?
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>I have read the white paper from Rick Strahl on the pro's and con's of moving from VFP to SQL for websites and much of that is relevant to this scenario as well.
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>I have identified reduction in complexity due to only having one code base to work on; however are there other factors?
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>Thanks for any and all comments.
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>Simon