On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 10:49 PM, johnf <jfabiani@yolo.com> wrote:
> To solve this problem, Microsoft introduced the VARCHAR(MAX), NVARCHAR(MAX),
> and VARBINARY(MAX) data types in SQL Server 2005. These data types can hold
> the same amount of data BLOBs can hold (2 GB) and they are stored in the same
> type of data pages used for other data types. When data in a MAX data type
> exceeds 8 KB, an over-flow page is used. SQL Server 2005 automatically
> assigns an over-flow indicator to the page and knows how to manipulate data
> rows the same way it manipulates other data types. You can declare variables
> of MAX data types inside a stored procedure or function and even pass them as
> variables. You can also use them inside string functions.
>
> Microsoft recommend using MAX data types instead of BLOBs in SQL Server 2005.
> In fact, BLOBs are being deprecated in future releases of SQL Server.
So, they did exactly what pgsql crew did with TOAST, but instead of
sticking it under an existing datatype that everyone already had, they
made another new type to keep track of. I can't think of a reason to
not just update the text type to be just like the leader's,
Postgresql's, but I'm sure they have their reasons. I'd love to hear
them though.