I'm looking for a straight answer to this question: Does Windows
automatically include the Jet OLE DB provider?

I've found it very difficult to get an answer. I found two Microsoft
articles which seem to address the question (http://
support.microsoft.com/kb/271908 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/239114),
but they are confusing and contradictory. When I search the Usenet, I
find posts which say an up-to-date version of Windows automatically
has Jet, but I also find posts which explain how to install it when it
is missing.

Can anyone give me a definitive yes or no?

-TC

P.S. Note that I've danced around this question with posts in several
newsgroups. Please forgive me for cross-posting.