Re: So what's null then if it's not nothing?

From: paul c <toledobythesea_at_oohay.ac>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 01:15:26 GMT
Message-ID: <OoPgf.573753$1i.324130@pd7tw2no>

Hugo Kornelis wrote:
> On 20 Nov 2005 19:58:44 -0800, michael_at_preece.net wrote:
>
>

>>Julian M wrote:
>>

>
> (snip)
>

>>>NULL in SQL can seem tricky, but it is simple enough if viewed in terms
>>>of what is intended by the ANSI SQL92/99 standards.
>>>See drafts:
>>>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~shadow/sql/sql1992.txt
>>>http://www.ncb.ernet.in/education/modules/dbms/SQL99/
>>>
>>
>>Here's your problem...
>>
>>"A special value that is used to indicate the absence of any data
>>value."
>>
>>That's it right there. It doesn't make sense. The special value has to
>>be present doesn't it? So something is present. What is it? Is it an
>>indication that whatever it is is absent? Nope. If something is present
>>it's present. If it's absent it's absent. 

>
> (snip)
>
> Hi Mike,
>
> Pay more attention to what you read before you reply. I'll use caps to
> emphasize the words you seem to have missed:
>
> "A SPECIAL value that is used to indicate the absence of any DATA
> value."
> ...

i love it. NULL is SPECIAL. i guess SPECIAL is NULL. you've put your finger on it. at first i thought SPECIAL was what Edward de Bono called a porridge word. now i realize that i was wrong, both of them are!

cheers,
p Received on Tue Nov 22 2005 - 19:15:26 CST