Any experts on constraint deferrability?

Hi All. This will seem like a wierd question but...

In Oracle 8.1.7 [possibly earlier] through 9.2, if you declare this:

CREATE TABLE x ( a NUMBER NOT NULL DEFERRABLE INITIALLY IMMEDIATE)

the Oracle server turns it into:

CREATE TABLE x ( a NUMBER CHECK ("A" IS NOT NULL) DEFERRABLE INITIALLY IMMEDIATE)

1. Does anyone know why they've done a transformation [other than someone in the kernel group doing a quick and dirty]?
2. Has anyone out there ever had reason to defer a NOT-NULL constraint?

Cheers Received on Mon Jul 21 2003 - 07:28:13 CDT