From oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org Mon Aug 8 07:36:48 2005 Return-Path: Received: from air891.startdedicated.com (root@localhost) by orafaq.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id j78CamLT019203 for ; Mon, 8 Aug 2005 07:36:48 -0500 X-ClientAddr: 206.53.239.180 Received: from turing.freelists.org (freelists-180.iquest.net [206.53.239.180]) by air891.startdedicated.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id j78CaeIP019162 for ; Mon, 8 Aug 2005 07:36:40 -0500 Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by turing.freelists.org (Avenir Technologies Mail Multiplex) with ESMTP id EB52F1DD55C; Mon, 8 Aug 2005 07:36:37 -0500 (EST) Received: from turing.freelists.org ([127.0.0.1]) by localhost (turing [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 05537-01; Mon, 8 Aug 2005 07:36:37 -0500 (EST) Received: from turing (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by turing.freelists.org (Avenir Technologies Mail Multiplex) with ESMTP id 4CC041DD344; Mon, 8 Aug 2005 07:36:37 -0500 (EST) In-Reply-To: To: jim_kennedy@mentor.com Cc: oracle-l@freelists.org, oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org, psinger1@chartermi.net Subject: RE: Counterquestion - is Oracle a He or a She - or an It or a hermaphrodite MIME-Version: 1.0 Message-ID: From: "Leandro Guimaraes Faria C. Dutra" Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 09:30:40 -0300 X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on TDBKDD08/TDB(Release 6.5.1|January 21, 2004) at 08/08/2005 09:26:58 AM, Serialize complete at 08/08/2005 09:26:58 AM Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by Ecartis X-archive-position: 23531 X-ecartis-version: Ecartis v1.0.0 Sender: oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org Errors-To: oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org X-original-sender: ldutra@toyota.com.br Precedence: normal Reply-To: ldutra@toyota.com.br X-list: oracle-l X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-new-20030616-p9 (Debian) at avenirtech.net X-mailscan-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information X-mailscan-MailScanner: Found to be clean X-MailScanner-From: oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on air891.startdedicated.com X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-4.9 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=2.63 oracle-l-bounce@freelists.org gravou em 2005-08-05 20:48:41: > -- Please don't use the signature separation in the body of the message. Stick to RFC 1855. > C. It is unknown if you are or are not allergic to anything. > > The Dr. should assume C. You have not been asked the question so the > data in that column is NULL Problem is, this is just one of the usual, assumed possible meaning of NULL. NULL should mean nothing, so your interpretation *in this case* is OK; but what we need is a special value to signify UNKOWN. Then we'd define a domain as whatever we want plus the UNKNOWN value; and any other current usages of NULL would each get its own special value. There go interpretation errors, performance problems, conceptual confusion... and NULLs being so ingrained in SQL is on of the various reasons why Date and Darwen propose that a relational language shouldn't try to fix SQL as it's hopeless. -- Leandro Guimarães Faria Corcete DUTRA Administrador de Bases de Dados +55 (11) 4390 5383 Toyota do Brasil Ltda ldutra@toyota.com.br São Bernardo do Campo, SP BRASIL This message (including any attachments) is confidential and may be privileged and intended solely for the use of the person/entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received it by mistake please notify the sender by returning via e-mail as well as delete this message from your system. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this message in whole or in part is prohibited. Please note that e-mails are susceptible to change. TOYOTA DO BRASIL LTDA (including its group companies) shall not be liable for the improper or incomplete transmission of the information contained in this communication, neither for personal, nonbusiness related information nor opinion sent through this email or even for any delay in its receipt or damage to your system. TOYOTA DO BRASIL LTDA (or its group companies) does not guarantee that the integrity of this communication has been kept nor that this communication is free of viruses, interceptions or interference. -- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l