title: Is the RAW type deprecated in Oracle?
body: <p>From what I've read, the preferred way to store a <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/153815/how-should-i-store-a-guid-in-oracle">Java <code>UUID</code> in Oracle is in a <code>RAW(16)</code> column</a>.  When I suggested using this to my DBA, he commented that the <code>RAW</code> type was deprecated way back in Oracle 8i and provided <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/cd/A87860_01/doc/server.817/a76965/c10datyp.htm#4147" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a> as evidence.  However, from what I see on that page, <code>LONG RAW</code> is deprecated, but not <code>RAW</code>.  I've found <a href="http://www.oraclecommunity.net/forum/topics/the-future-of-raw" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a few places where others have raised similar questions</a>, but have not found a definitive answer.  There also seem to be <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14220/datatype.htm#i4146" rel="nofollow noreferrer">numerous</a> <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28318/datatype.htm#CNCPT613" rel="nofollow noreferrer">references</a> to the <code>RAW</code> datatype in recent Oracle release notes which leads me to believe the type is still supported.  Can anyone provide an authoritative answer on this, preferably one with proper evidence from Oracle?</p>