SQL Rowcount vs Top

Question

What is the difference between

Set Rowcount X

And

Select Top X *
From Z

in TSQL?

Answer 1

In older versions of SQL Server (2005 and earlier I am not sure about 2008) you could not use a variable in a top statement so:

declare @rc int

set @rc=10

select top @rc * from myTable --Wont work

set rowcount @rc
select * from myTable --Will work