SQL left join vs multiple tables on FROM line?

Question

Most SQL dialects accept both the following queries:

SELECT a.foo, b.foo
FROM a, b
WHERE a.x = b.x

SELECT a.foo, b.foo
FROM a
LEFT JOIN b ON a.x = b.x
         


        

Answer 1

When you need an outer join the second syntax is not always required:

Oracle:

SELECT a.foo, b.foo
  FROM a, b
 WHERE a.x = b.x(+)

MSSQLServer (although it's been deprecated in 2000 version)/Sybase:

SELECT a.foo, b.foo
  FROM a, b
 WHERE a.x *= b.x

But returning to your question. I don't know the answer, but it is probably related to the fact that a join is more natural (syntactically, at least) than adding an expression to a where clause when you are doing exactly that: joining.