Re: Artificial Primary keys

>> There is no real difference between an identity column and an
invoice-number or SSN. All of them are artificial. <<

I see a large difference among these things.

The IDENTITY column is a system generated number that I cannot reproduce on another machine. When I look at one, I have no idea if it is meaningful or not -- remember you can get gaps in the sequence.

With an invoice number, I have a paper copy of that number in my hand when I go back to the store and bitch about the merchandise. There is a document for it which is external to the database.

The SSN is maintained by the United States Federal government and has documentation going back for all the years the person to whom it is attached has been alive. We issue them at birth now. Received on Wed Feb 06 2002 - 22:53:45 CET