Rick Hillegas wrote:
Hi Ian,
Two issues block the introduction of a BOOLEAN datatype:
1) We need DRDA support in order to transport this type across our
network layer. I am cautiously optimistic that we will see this type
appear in the DRDA spec early in 2007. So, soon, this issue will not
block us.
I don't see this as blocking adding BOOLEAN into the SQL language, we
have the XML type which is supported in SQL but not JDBC. Incremental
development is good.
2) DERBY-887, as you note, also blocks us. The behavior of certain casts
would have to change and that, we believe, would significantly impact
existing applications. Our rules about backwards compatibility suggest
that this kind of change can only occur in a major release. That, as you
note, would be Derby 11.0.
I don't believe enough analysis of this cast issues has happened to
decide if adding BOOLEAN would require 11.0 or not. I still really can't
figure out from all the comments in DERBY-887 what people expected to
happen with the strange queries like id = (0<3) and what does happen.
And were those DERBY-887 tests run before the BOOLEAN patch was
committed or after?
I would encourage those that want BOOLEAN and are willing to work on it
to come to the derby developer list and kick off the discussion there.
Dan.
