> How does one get an approximate count, you either count your records
> or you don't

Sort of

Go google your name

You must have precisely 14,100,000 matches, what a fluke! But I have
more :) (39,100,000), but wow, I must have exactly 25 million more
matches.

Sometimes the exact number is not required at all, but only an estimate.

The solution SET linked to is more accurate than that providing you
can guarantee some things about the table. For example, if you never
delete records and only use a single transaction at a time (an
embedded install might look like this), then it should be spot on, and
instant.

I admit it wouldn't be much use to me, but I can imagine some
situations it could come in handy.

Adam