[SQLite]

> Dr. Hipp has said several times that nobody expected a weakly-typed database to achieve the pervasiveness that is observed with SQLite.

I don't remember ever saying that. Rather, see https://sqlite.org/flextypegood.html for detailed explanation of why I think flexible typing ("weak typing" is a purgative and inaccurate label) is a useful and innovative feature, not a limitation or a bug. I am surprised at how successful SQLite has become, but if anything, the flexible typing system is a partial explanation for that success, not a cause of puzzlement.

[chasil]

Did I misinterpret the experts' assertion of imposibility?

"I had this crazy idea that I’m going to build a database engine that does not have a server, that talks directly to disk, and ignores the data types, and if you asked any of the experts of the day, they would say, “That’s impossible. That will never work. That’s a stupid idea.” Fortunately, I didn’t know any experts and so I did it anyway, so this sort of thing happens. I think, maybe, just don’t listen to the experts too much and do what makes sense. Solve your problem."

https://corecursive.com/066-sqlite-with-richard-hipp/

[jmull]

> Did I misinterpret the experts' assertion of imposibility?

Misstated, I'd say. You said "nobody" but the actual quote is about the assumed conventional wisdom of the time, which is quite different. And while this was probably inadvertent, you phrased it in a way that almost made it sound like that was Dr. Hipp's original opinion, which, of course, is the opposite of true.