Thread: Unordered SELECT - random vs undefined

Keith Gabryelski submitted this comment for the docs, which I rejected
as a comment, but think still needs correcting in the docs:

the line:
When a table is read, the rows will appear in random order, unless
sorting is explicitly requested

should be:
When a table is read, the rows will appear in an undefined order,
unless sorting is explicitly requested.

This applies to: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/ddl-basics.html


--
Thom Brown
Registered Linux user: #516935

Thom Brown <thom@linux.com> writes:
> should be:
> When a table is read, the rows will appear in an undefined order,
> unless sorting is explicitly requested.

Perhaps "unspecified" is le mot juste.

            regards, tom lane

On 20 August 2010 14:45, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:
> Thom Brown <thom@linux.com> writes:
>> should be:
>> When a table is read, the rows will appear in an undefined order,
>> unless sorting is explicitly requested.
>
> Perhaps "unspecified" is le mot juste.
>

Yes, that sounds more appopriate.

--
Thom Brown
Registered Linux user: #516935

Thom Brown <thom@linux.com> writes:
> On 20 August 2010 14:45, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:
>> Perhaps "unspecified" is le mot juste.

> Yes, that sounds more appopriate.

OK, done.  I found one other place in the docs where "random" seemed
to be used inappropriately, too.

            regards, tom lane