Should I use != or <> for not equal in T-SQL?

Question

I have seen SQL that uses both != and <> for not equal. What is the preferred syntax and why?

Answer 1

The ANSI SQL Standard defines <> as the "not equal to" operator,

http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~shadow/sql/sql1992.txt (5.2 and )

There is no != operator according to the ANSI/SQL 92 standard.