CirquedeSQLeil (1/26/2010)
... if one examines execution plans for these two queries and run them together, the query optimizer treats them as the same execution plan and equates both queries to the same cost.
I agree, so it comes down to what is meant by 'cost effective'. I got the answer wrong, but I was using the above meaning of 'cost effective'.....so I feel hard done by 🙁