> I don't see how it could be: > SELECT * FROM (SELECT * FROM a ORDER BY x DESC) AS B ORDER BY x ASC; That is a rather different query. My question was if the order of two elements whose internal order is not affected by the current ordering clause, still may change places due to technicalities. That is, the normal meaning of the term "stable sort" as it applies to sorting algorithms. Example: Given a subquery that returns the rows a| b <s>+</s> 2|1 2|2 1|1 1|2 and an order by a, will the result allways be a| b <s>+</s> 1|1 1|2 2|1 2|2 or might it sometimes end up as e.g. a| b <s>+</s> 1|2 1|1 2|1 2|2 ?
