How replication works in this scenario.. Please help

Hello all,
I am a newbie when it comes to replication. I have read the BOL but I
was overwhilemed with the amount of information about replication.
We are planning to have a server with sql server 2005 and disconnected
laptops with sql server express. How would replication work in this
scenario assuming we are using merge replication:
Table AA [ a replicated table on the server and 9 columns]
User #1 has table AA on his laptop... and has added 3 records, deleted
1 and
update 1 record (5 transaction in total)...
Table AA has 3 new records added after AA last sync his replica...
Joe Admin comes and decided to make schema changes to table AA on the
server...
Q#1 can he do that even though the log has 3 transactions?
Q#2 can he does it if the log was empty?
Q#3 assume the admin did the schema changes to table AA...and Now user
#1 trying
to sync
does that mean User #1 will lose all her changes (the 5 transaction
above)...
Q#4: What is the normal best practice if you have sql express.. How
would handle such
scheduled schema change?
Thank you very much!
There are some complications with 'altering' the schema of merge replicated
tables while the subscriber does data changes, but from your description you
are just adding a column on the publisher and this scenario looks OK. The
laptop users should not lose their changes. Finally remember that
sp_repladdcolumn is run on the publisher only.
Cheers,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)