title: What datatype to use when storing latitude and longitude data in SQL databases?
body: <p>When storing latitude or longitude data in an ANSI SQL compliant database, what datatype would be most appropriate? Should <code>float</code> be used, or <code>decimal</code>, or ...?</p>
  
  <p>I'm aware that Oracle, MySql, and SQL Server have added some special datatypes specifically for handling geo data, but I'm interested in how you would store the information in a "plain vanilla" SQL database.</p>