Re: NULL values or not?

From: Archibald Zimonyi <archie(at)netg(dot)se>
To: Aasmund Midttun Godal <postgresql(at)envisity(dot)com>
Cc: pgsql-sql(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: NULL values or not?
Date: 2001-12-21 15:48:50
Message-ID: Pine.LNX.4.21.0112211628390.21359-100000@valdez.netg.se
Views: Raw Message | Whole Thread | Download mbox | Resend email
Thread:
Lists: pgsql-sql

> What is the problem with nulls? why are they bad??
>
NULLs are not bad, I have never claimed them to be. I try to avoid them
personally, which tends to make my number of tables many, but with fewer
lines usually since I don't have any NULLS.

However the current structure I have takes too long time (at least I think
so) and when I used VACUUM ANALYZE I went from roughly a 1 second query to
a 1 minute query. In my opinion that should not happen.

And if I have a structure with the following data:

CREATE TABLE person
(
person_id int2,
FirstName text,
LastName text,
phone_id int2
);

CREATE TABLE phonenumbers
(
phone_id int2,
phonenumber
);

where in table person phone_id could be NULL.

I would still have to join together my tables in order to retrieve all
info with a left join.

So again, I have no problems with NULLS, I just would like someone to
share when they use them contra when they don't.

Archie

In response to

Responses

Browse pgsql-sql by date

  From Date Subject
Next Message Josh Berkus 2001-12-21 16:55:11 Re: NULL values or not?
Previous Message Aasmund Midttun Godal 2001-12-21 15:24:55 Re: NULL values or not?