Spatial Extensions are far more than just the data storage. The OpenGIS
standard specifies a plethora of spatial operators that operate on the
data storage and return specific data. These AND the data storage are
what make up a spatial database.

Now, it *IS* possible to store spatial data and spatially operate on it in
a non spatial database. This is done by ESRI's ArcINFO/ArcDesktop suite
of GIS applications to allow MS SQL Server to store spatial data in an
otherwise spatially incompetent database.

Kendall

> It's easy to build, and far more flexible than implementing it in the
> engine.
> Imagine needing to store something the engine didn't support:
>
> Here's a quick sample of some tables:

[Nice set of example tables deleted]