title: Checking value of a null field
body: <p>Why does this return 0 records?</p>
  <pre><code>SELECT
      *
  FROM (
      SELECT
          null as 'first'
  ) a
  WHERE
      first &lt;&gt; 'TEST'
  </code></pre>
  <p><code>Null</code> is not a word 'TEST'. I understand we could use <code>Is Not Null</code> but this came up because if I have a field that has</p>
  <ul>
  <li>Null records that may not need to be excluded</li>
  <li>Records with valid data that I want to exclude</li>
  <li>Records with valid data I do not want to exclude</li>
  </ul>
  <p>I'd rather just say &quot;give me everything that isn't &quot;TEST&quot;.</p>