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Do you see the PDA version of SQL spawning many apps?

That rides on the future of the CE and PocketPC platforms in general.  The concept of code compatibility and replication between devices is something that is a major advantage versus the Palm world (where DB work is painful at best) - I'm hoping for good things, but only time will tell.

SQL Server 2000 features XML intergration - what do you see as the major benefits of this and what do you see as the future for this?

Today there are some serious security issues to be dealt with. You can beat them, but it removes much of the ease that one expects when they first look at the product. I'm expecting much of that to be taken care of with some of the web releases over the next year.

How can you see the .Net implementation fitting with SQL Server?

I don't think there's all that much that's .NET specific about this release of SQL Server. There will, however, likely be much simplified database access in the .NET environment. I'm also looking forward to having C# as a development language for SQL Server when we get to Yukon.

SQL Server 2000 reportedly marks the last release of SQL Server's previous management API (SQL-DMO) - WMI will take its place. Why is WMI the way forward?

WMI offers the advantage of requiring less "new" knowledge for the developer. WMI will be very similar to use for SQL Server, Exchange, and the other back office products. Perhaps the biggest advantage, however, is that you loose the dependency on the specific COM Interface id's from version to version. As long as the general syntax is still sound, things should still work fine with a new release. For those that have had to deal with DMO in the past this should be a major relief.

What does the year ahead hold for you?

A lot more time with my family. I'll be doing a few speaking events and probably contributing a few articles to SQL Server Magazine, but I'm taking time away from writing for the forseeable future.

If you could write/have written any non-computer book, which would it be and why?

A Science Fiction humor book. I started to write one about 15 years ago, but the manuscript was lost in a series of moves, and I've just never gotten back there. Perhaps someday that concept will live again - but not anytime soon.