Index ignored with "is not distinct from", 8.2 beta2 - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

I've reposted this from pgsql-performance where I got no response.

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Hi,

I wanted to use "exp1 is not distinct from exp2" which I tough was syntaxic 
sugar for
exp1 is not null and exp2 is not null and exp1 = exp2 or exp1 is null and 
exp2 is null
but my index is ignored with "is not distinct from".

Is this the expected behavior ?

create temporary table t as select * from generate_series(1,1000000) t(col);
create unique index i on t(col);
analyze t;

-- These queries don't use the index
select count(*) from t where col is not distinct from 123;
select count(*) from t where not col is distinct from 123;

-- This query use the index
select count(*) from t where col is not null and 123 is not null and col = 
123 or col is null and 123 is null;

explain analyze select count(*) from t where col is not distinct from 123;
 QUERY PLAN
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate  (cost=19154.79..19154.80 rows=1 width=0) (actual 
time=228.200..228.202 rows=1 loops=1)  ->  Seq Scan on t  (cost=0.00..17904.90 rows=499956 width=0) (actual 
time=0.042..228.133 rows=1 loops=1)        Filter: (NOT (col IS DISTINCT FROM 123))
Total runtime: 228.290 ms
(4 rows)
Time: 219.000 ms

explain analyze select count(*) from t where not col is distinct from 123;
 QUERY PLAN
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate  (cost=19154.79..19154.80 rows=1 width=0) (actual 
time=235.950..235.952 rows=1 loops=1)  ->  Seq Scan on t  (cost=0.00..17904.90 rows=499956 width=0) (actual 
time=0.040..235.909 rows=1 loops=1)        Filter: (NOT (col IS DISTINCT FROM 123))
Total runtime: 236.065 ms
(4 rows)
Time: 250.000 ms

explain analyze select count(*) from t where col is not null and 123 is not 
null and col = 123 or col is null and 123 is null;                                               QUERY PLAN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate  (cost=8.13..8.14 rows=1 width=0) (actual time=0.267..0.268 rows=1 
loops=1)  ->  Index Scan using i on t  (cost=0.00..8.13 rows=1 width=0) (actual 
time=0.237..0.241 rows=1 loops=1)        Index Cond: (col = 123)
Total runtime: 0.366 ms
(4 rows)
Time: 0.000 ms

I am on Windows XP Service pack 2 with PostgreSQL 8.2 beta2

Thanks,
Jean-Pierre Pelletier
e-djuster