Null Semantics Debate
The cluster focuses on the semantics and issues with NULL/null in programming languages and databases, including its non-equality to itself (NULL != NULL), distinction from zero or absence of value, and criticisms like the 'billion dollar mistake'.
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the idea is you don’t know if the null != 5 because null isn’t a value it just marks the absence of a value
Sort of like ANSI NULL in databases. They're purposefully not supposed to equate (or not equate) to anything, even theirselves.
Implying that having null is a good idea at all.
That's what NULL (or it's various equivalents) is for.
Null is the absence of a value. How do to distinguish 0 from no value?
Why is null "empty"? That seems worse than being implicit - it's misleading.
I thought Nil was the answer to not using NULL ;)
Name a single platform where NULL is not 0.
naive but honest question -- aren't 'null' and 'false' different?
Wait, you're telling me "NULL" is not equal to NULL?