Designing DAL in .NET to be “data-source independent” and not just “database independent”?

Simply: you do not. Ths is not so much about technology, but about totally different behavioral characteristics between different stores.

Ok, it's a bit of a fluffy question, but you might get some ideas if you look at something like NHibernate. I'm not suggesting you adopt it (or don't adopt it) but you'll see how a mature framework like that separates repository specifics from the code.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.