The Sql ranking OVERture

A lot of sql users have a hard time reconciling the idea that a table
is by
definition an unordered set and the ordering involved in the sql
server 2005 ranking functions. This article attempts to fill in the
missing pieces of explanation that sql seems to have OVERlooked. The
article takes the view that knowledge of the functions does not
consist of just 'how' to use them. Perhaps it's possible to squeeze in
'what' they really are, where they came from. As far as a relational
database can realizes them.

http://beyondsql.blogspot.com/2008/04/sql-ranking-overture.html