> The book "The Practical SQL Handbook", which is often recommended on
> these lists, uses the syntax `*=' and `=*' for left and right outer
> joins (page 211). I think we ought to support this syntax as well,
> since it will save new users from confusion.
This one conflicts with Postgres' operator extensibility features, since
it would look just like a legal operator.
The two books I have at hand (besides my old Ingres docs) are A Guide to
the SQL Standard by Date and Darwen and Understanding the New SQL by
Melton and Simon. Both focus on SQL standard syntax, and neither mention
the various outer join syntaxes accepted by Oracle, Informix, or Sybase.
An explanation for the lack of standards compliance by the big three
probably involves the fact that they predate the standard by a
significant number of years.
- Tom