Geospatial data? Taxonomic data? Temporal data? Geez Phil, isn't the Northwind database supposed to be a learning database used to bring people interested in becoming SQL Gurus up through the ranks? When you ask the question; "Can't we as a community, do better?" - are you asking this only for the Obi Wan Kenobis of SQL Server? Or does the "community" also include the people who just getting wet behind the ears with SQL? Does it include the people just tracking your average mundane business data? After all, thats the greater part of the SQL population - not everyone NEEDS a geospatial record of the widgets their business keeps track of.

In the late 90's I worked for a small company where almost everyone knew a little SQL - enough to run a query and get the answers they needed. Seems over the last 10 years as SQL has become more and more complex, with new often confusing features to newbies, SQL expertise is harder to define and we seem to be approaching a place where only the "few Wizards" will be "in the know". Is this really a good thing?

Maybe what we need are two databases - one with good 'basics' use, like Northwind, and then another with the kind of data that Phil, you are talking about. As an old-timer, at this game for decades, I am of course impressed with SQL these days - but I am also aware that fewer and fewer people are interested in it because of its complexity. Again I ask, is this a good thing?

Well, to be topical... The financial industry just collapsed on the back of complexity and it's confusion that even the people selling the instruments could not decipher. In fact today, we don't even know how big a mess we're in because it will take years to figure out these complex financial inventions that only a very few people even understand. Is THAT a good thing? Nope - and maybe we should all take that as a warning.

KISS - Keep it simple, stupid - its not all that bad an idea, and before anyone starts producing some new demo data, I sure would like them to consider the BIG picture for a change - not just the "boy thats cool" picture. After all, though some companies are doing very cool stuff, most are just trying to keep track of things and do business. We should not lose site of that. Its not a dishonorable thing.