Thanks, Jamie.
I can follow the logic of what you are saying, but from where I sit it is a
blatent inconsistency in the SQL language. Of course, most human and
computer languages have these kinds of inconsistencies, so we live with it.
Hopefullly the inconsistency is applied consistently in all implementations
of the language.
Your example actually highlights an inconsistency with Access.
In Access 97, create a table with fields StartDate and EndDate.
Then set the Validation Rule of the table (in the Properties box, not the
lower pane of table design) to:
[StartDate]<[EndDate]
The rule is NOT satisfied if either field is Null.
In Access 2000, the same rule IS satisfied, regardless of the Nulls.
Perhaps Microsoft changed JET 4 to comply with the DDL constraint.