(mysql.info) design-limitations

 
 7.1.1 MySQL Design Limitations and Tradeoffs
 --------------------------------------------
 
 When using the `MyISAM' storage engine, MySQL uses extremely fast table
 locking that allows multiple readers or a single writer. The biggest
 problem with this storage engine occurs when you have a steady stream
 of mixed updates and slow selects on a single table. If this is a
 problem for certain tables, you can use another storage engine for
 them. See  storage-engines.
 
 MySQL can work with both transactional and non-transactional tables. To
 make it easier to work smoothly with non-transactional tables (which
 cannot roll back if something goes wrong), MySQL has the following
 rules. Note that these rules apply _only_ when not running in strict
 SQL mode or if you use the `IGNORE' specifier for `INSERT' or `UPDATE'.
 
    * All columns have default values.
 
    * If you insert an inappropriate or out-of-range value into a
      column, MySQL sets the column to the `best possible value' instead
      of reporting an error. For numerical values, this is 0, the
      smallest possible value or the largest possible value. For
      strings, this is either the empty string or as much of the string
      as can be stored in the column.
 
    * All calculated expressions return a value that can be used instead
      of signaling an error condition. For example, 1/0 returns `NULL'.
 
 To change the preceding behaviors, you can enable stricter data
 handling by setting the server SQL mode appropriately. For more
 information about data handling, see  constraints, 
 server-sql-mode, and  insert.
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