Auto update Statistics Option

The developer of a finance application suggests us not to select the "Auto
Update Statistics" Option of a SQL Server 2000 database (In Full Recovery
Model). The reason he mentions is that it will affect the database
performance. However, from a number of articles, they suggest us to turn it
ON and it is the default setting as well.
The size of the database file is around 10GB and there are around 20
concurrent users (mainly retrieving information).
I would like to know does the Execution Plan is fixed for Stored Procedure
OR it changes from time to time (Just like running query according to the
data structure) ?
Your advice is sought.
The Execution Plan for Stored Procedure may change from time to time. For
example, after 'Update Statistics' of related table(s), the SQL Server will
generate a new Execution Plan for the SP. Below is more information from BOL
(Execution Plan Caching and Reuse):
Recompiling Execution Plans
Certain changes in a database can cause an execution plan to be either
inefficient or invalid, given the new state of the database. SQL Server
detects the changes that invalidate an execution plan, and marks the plan as
invalid. A new plan must then be recompiled for the next connection that
executes the query. The conditions that cause a plan to be invalidated
include:
Any structural changes made to a table or view referenced by the query
(ALTER TABLE and ALTER VIEW).
New distribution statistics generated either explicitly from a statement
such as UPDATE STATISTICS or automatically.
Dropping an index used by the execution plan.
An explicit call to sp_recompile.
Large numbers of changes to keys (generated by INSERT or DELETE statements
from other users that modify a table referenced by the query).
For tables with triggers, if the number of rows in the inserted or deleted
tables grows significantly.
"Jason" wrote:

> The developer of a finance application suggests us not to select the "Auto
> Update Statistics" Option of a SQL Server 2000 database (In Full Recovery
> Model). The reason he mentions is that it will affect the database
> performance. However, from a number of articles, they suggest us to turn it
> ON and it is the default setting as well.
> The size of the database file is around 10GB and there are around 20
> concurrent users (mainly retrieving information).
> I would like to know does the Execution Plan is fixed for Stored Procedure
> OR it changes from time to time (Just like running query according to the
> data structure) ?
> Your advice is sought.