Damn! SQLServer2000 Can't Add A NOT NULL COLUMN Even In One Empty Existing Table!

Damn! SQLServer2000 can't add a NOT NULL COLUMN even in one empty
existing table!
That is, A is the existing table and it is emtpy, I want to add one NOT
NULL COLUMN (col_new) to A using following T-SQL statement, then it
will fail.

ALTER TABLE A ADD
col_new varchar(600) NOT NULL
GO

You should change it to these statements in SQLServer2000:

ALTER TABLE A ADD
col_new varchar(600) NULL
ALTER TABLE A ALTER COLUMN col_new varchar(600) NOT NULL
GO

ah, ridiculous! right?

Fortunately, this stupid behavior is changed in SQLServer2005. The
first T-SQL statements works.