mtassin (12/21/2010)
Always use the top with an ORDER BY clause!
I got the question correct, but this is the last sentance of the answer's explanation.
Why?
Why should I always use TOP with an order by clause? What benefit do I get with say TOP 100% when I decide i want all the records to come back, just ordered?
I don't think anyone gave a direct answer to this (although someone else pointed out the same ambiguous wording.) The author meant you should always use top with an order by clause. In other words, don't use top without an order by clause. The author was not saying you should always use top when you are using an order by clause.