> Do you have a URL which explains the ANSI style clearly? I tend to use > the former method myself as well, and would like to understand the > differences here's one which does not explain the difference so much as justify it (bottom line: it's easier, and the old style will be dropped in sql server some day) -- http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinfo/tips/development/July23.asp here are a few more with decent explanations -- http://certcities.com/certs/oracle/columns/story.asp?EditorialsID=106 http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/1438001 http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_join.asp here's one that explains why the ansi syntax will allow you to get results that just aren't possible with the old style syntax -- http://www.sqlteam.com/item.asp?ItemID=11122 finally, here's one that doesn't so much explain a cross join as illustrate what good it might be -- http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/1459991 rudy