title: How do I check if a SQL Server text column is empty?
body: <p>I am using SQL Server 2005.  I have a table with a text column and I have many rows in the table where the value of this column is not null, but it is empty.  Trying to compare against '' yields this response:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The data types text and varchar are incompatible in the not equal to operator.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Is there a special function to determine whether the value of a text column is not null but empty?</p>