>When I saw this, I just couldn't resist throwing in my £.02 ;-) This is one of my personal pet peeves. USING SET EXACT in cases where you shoould be using == is using a global solution to a local problem. Kinda like swatting flies with a sledge hammer, no?
>

Marcia,

Yes, and they also are not the same. SET EXACT ON and = is not the same evaluation as ==. Even with SET EXACT ON you may need == to do an exact comparison.