Have a look here:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/default.mspx
and you will read the following:
"SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is the next version of MSDE and is a
free, easy-to-use, lightweight, and embeddable version of SQL Server
2005.
Free to download, free to redistribute, free to embed, and easy for
new developers to use immediately, a simple but powerful development
environment for building data-driven applications. Easily manage your
database with SQL Server 2005 Management Studio Express."
Notes:
1. The reference to MSDE - (Microsoft Data Engine): this has been
superseded by the Express Version. It used to be available as a free
download and came on the Office 2000 CD although it did not install
automatically. The Express version has a higher limit (4GB instead of
2GB). The Management Studio is also a free download - gives you the
tools to manage your databases.
2. Regarding "Does that mean (imply)that SQL Express is already
embedded in every WIn XP system for example?": You will have to
install Express on every target PC. It comes as its own MSI. If you
think about it, the database your applicaion ends up using is
completely unknown-starting with its name, the tables and other views,
triggers, constraints etc that it uses. Operating system do not come
with any database engines: Office 2003/7 etc will install file based
database engines, Viual Studio 2008 Team Edition will install Team
Foundation Server that uses the SQL Server Engine.
3.Ordinarily, either you will backup your development database, and
distribute this with your application which should support the
functionality to restore the backup or you will distribute the scripts
that will create the database and all other objects on the client's
PC. It is to be expected that youe application's database will already
contain core data; therefore the backup/restore route is usually the
approach taken although scripts are also need (eventually) because you
will be making structutal changes as time goes by.
SQL Express is a good choice:
a. it will allow you to upgrade to full blown SQL Server when you are
ready. The basic difference is that the Express version is restricted
to databases of 4GB and use only 1 CPU.
b. it is very well supported - you can uses MS Access, Excel and CSV
files with relative ease.
c. Google for 'Books on line': these are free to download help files
that provide detailed help and worked examples on SQL Server- directly
applicable to the Express version.
- If you want to write C# COMs, refer to
http://www.vector.org.uk/archive/v231/askdll.htm
for background information.
- If you want to learn about ADO, this is quite good, albeit quite
old:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ADO-2-6-Programmers-Reference-Programmer/dp/186100463X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208708250&sr=8-2
- Alternatively, may also like to download MDAC 2.8 SDK: this provides
help and worked examples on ADO.
- You will also need a good reference on SQL.
Good luck.
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