Re: NULLs: theoretical problems?

On Aug 20, 8:18 pm, Gene Wirchenko <ge..._at_ocis.net> wrote:
> Bob Badour <bbad..._at_pei.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> >David Portas wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> >> 4) Have the right schema to start with so that no problem arises.
>
> >But that would dampen the straw!
>
> Break eggs for an omelet; dampen straw for bricks.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Gene Wirchenko
>
> Computerese Irregular Verb Conjugation:
> I have preferences.
> You have biases.
> He/She has prejudices.

I wonder how much of these discussions on NULL are echoes of discussions about numbers when ZERO was first introduced? Both are a practical solution to realworld business problems. 8^)

How's this proposition?
NULL can only be totally eliminated in a static database. Real world production databases need to deal with the situation of "we just don't know yet!", so we'll always have NULL.

just some thoughts from a simple non-theorist. Ed Received on Fri Aug 24 2007 - 23:04:05 CEST