Best free VistaDB post - "If VistaDB was a woman... I'd marry it."

So, yeah, I want a free copy of VistaDB. But, look, I blogged back in July about how .NET is letting us down on the Embedded Database front. I've played with SQLite, SharpHSQL, and FireBird (and Access if I must admit it) looking for an embedded datastore for desktop apps that doesn't take a 20+ MB install and run when my application isn't, all server stylee like SQL Express. The Jet/Access Engine seems like it would be a good alternative, but it's been deprecated by Microsoft and will no longer be installed by default. 

And WATYF has been on a parallel quest for quite a while, trying the same alternative databases and running into the same problems I did. I'm glad he finally found true love, and hope this is my answer, too. It doesn't support support NHibernate yet, but it's in the works.

And, come on Microsoft - give us a lightweight database out of the box! License a lite version of VistaDB or something. A development platform needs a database solution.

So here's my quote of the VistaDB info for my free copy:

VistaDB 2.1 database for .NET has been released
This 2.1 update includes over 60 improvements, including new support for .NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005. VistaDB is a small-footprint, embedded SQL database alternative to Jet/Access, MSDE and SQL Server Express 2005 that enables developers to build .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0 applications. Features SQL-92 support, small 500KB embedded footprint, free 2-User VistaDB Server for remote TCP/IP data access, royalty free distribution for both embedded and server, Copy 'n Go! deployment, managed ADO.NET Provider, data management and data migration tools. Free trial is available for download.
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