Re: identity columns

John wrote:
> I've given this considerable thought - because just about every database
> I've ever worked with has used singular names.

I always use singular names too. Before you can define a table (set), the element type must be defined. I think SQL is wrong to obfuscate things by making you do both in one step and weave in set-constraints like uniqueness and referential integrity to the element definition.

The element type definition is clearly singular, and in an O-O mapping the associated class is defined in the singular also (these should match). It also avoids the double-plural problem when you have a set of elements that are intrinsically plural (each element identifies some collection).

--
Clifford Heath