Just a random thought that might or might not spark some better ideas...

What would it take to store plug-ins in the database itself and have them be
stored according to platform as well?

For example, rather than defining UDF's as some external module outside of
the database. How about storing the module in the database and then the
database will, according to each platform's dictates, give the module disk
presense as required and load and make use of it dynamically.

This would allow a database to be fully self contained when backups and
restores are performed, even across platforms if all the platforms plug-ins
are present for a given module.

Think of it as the ability of the database to carry along the needed
external stuff to make it work.

I realize that a major downside to this is if a server has lots of databases
on it and they all use the same module that it's nice to just have one place
to update that module when some maintenance is in order...

Feel free to flame this idea too. My heart certainly isn't set on this one.
I just like the idea of a more self contained system that is easier to pick
up and move from one machine/platform to another.

FWIW,
Jason Wharton
InterBase Developer Initiative
jwharton@...

InterBase will be the database of the new millennium.