It is strange because an empty date field is not a NULL value. Most all data stores can handle NULL values, and this is what the lack of a date field should be. The concept of an empty date field is strange because it exists next to the necessary concept of a null value.

>Hi Erik,
>
>I was just curious as to why you think that empty date is a strange concept. In real life I come across lots of forms where I leave a date blank, simply because it doesn't apply (to me) or because I think it's none of their business.
>
>I find the reverse to you - that it is strange when a feature/facility does not support an 'empty date' field.
>
>I guess this is also similar to now having the NULL capability. Before, I gues that programmers doing medical stuff had to tell their users to interpret zeroes in a particular way in the BLOOD PRESSURE field. Having NULLS takes care of this now.
>