Mainly the fact that I can't change the schema on some of the
databases I need to access, as they are backing live production
systems.

Really, the more we go around and around on this, the more I realize
that a simple "Silver Bullet" solution just doesn't really exist. I'm
still going to work on a SQL Server adapter for Active Record, just
for future projects (and because I've made enough noise at this point
to feel like I need some code to back it all up).

Unforunately, my plan of hacking away today and tomorrow while here at
OSCON has been complicated by the premature death of my laptop AC
adapter last night. I still have a perfectly good Thinkpad; it just
has no battery charge, and no way of recharging until I can get a new
wall wart.

Lennon