Can anyone explain, in detail, why the outer join solution is faster than the Subquery solution in this example?  Is the Exists method fastest of all?

It depends...  One...

Just FYI, I haven't compiled or tested these on 64-bit systems, but for SQL 2K5, I'd highly recommend using the SQLCLR and built-in functionality.  On SQL 2K5 XP's are deprecated,...

Hi rsomasundar,

You'll need to modify the class that contains the encryption algorithm.  I believe it's called AES, or something similar (sorry, can't look into the source code right now).  You'll probably...

Hi rsomasundar,

Currently the IV is not implemented in the Toolkit.  The encryption routines all can accept an IV, however, and you can add that option through the source code Steve...

Just a note - FOR XML EXPLICIT is deprecated in Katmai and will be removed in a future version of SQL Server.

Risk is very subject to your frame of reference.

I suppose it depends on whether you think of risk in terms of an all-or-none proposition ("it's a risk or it's not a...

This should be enough information. If we were building some sort of heart regulator that was going to have to be accurate down to the 64th decimal place... Yeah, we...

Purely in my personal opinion Bill Gates took a small risk if you look at it from his perspective i.e. I want to be successful and be the best I...

I think you underestimate your contribution to your own site and to the community at large Steve.  I know you've spent countless weekends fine-tuning hardware, installing service packs, and troubleshooting...

Hi Joe C.,

Option 4 is great, when it's offered as an option.  My concern is that there are a lot of businesses out there that don't understand Option 4 (or...

I think there's always an element of reward, or it would not be worth taking the risk.  I think it's a little deeper than just succumbing to medicrity just because...

Karma - a couple of responses:

The examples you site as having managed the risk/reward situation successfully are examples because they were successful or because they are unusual? How many other...

Thanks for all the great responses.  My friend "Joe" can feel better knowing he's not the only one who's been stuck in this situation.  I've been in similar situations myself,...

There are actually a lot of very good articles available via MSDN and other sources that explain exactly how Full-Text Catalog information is gathered, processed, stored, and queried.  Unfortunately most articles...