> I came across this document
> (http://community.borland.com/article/0,1410,27563,00.html) which gives an
> idea about extending Interbase using SDF (not UDF) which I found quite
> interesting. OOI could the same methodology apply to FB?

Written late 1999, remember this discussion well.
It was on the back of
http://www.ibphoenix.com/main.nfs?a=ibphoenix&page=ibp_70_thoughts
"Standard Function Library

Most other database products have a large complement of built-in functions. We are definitely behind the curve in this area. We
should have many more functions than we currently have, even with the UDF library we provide.

It's a great feature to permit users to write their own UDFs. However, most users don't want to spend the time and effort to design,
compile, debug, declare, and deploy their own function libraries. They want these functions to be present by default, especially for
commonly used functions that are ubiquitous in other database products.

We should have functions implemented in the engine, not as a UDF library. Making the functions built-in allows them to be used on
NetWare and makes them more convenient to use on all platforms. It also simplifies installation and maintenance because no auxiliary
UDF library is needed.

See the list of functions in other database products at the end of this document."

We are already doing it.... Any new function added directly to the engine currently uses this
mechanism.

Paul