diff -r f12b24ea373f src/pkg/database/sql/driver/driver.go
--- a/src/pkg/database/sql/driver/driver.go	Sun Mar 17 19:50:01 2013 +0900
+++ b/src/pkg/database/sql/driver/driver.go	Sun Mar 17 16:42:37 2013 +0100
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 //   float64
 //   bool
 //   []byte
-//   string   [*] everywhere except from Rows.Next.
+//   string
 //   time.Time
 type Value interface{}
 
@@ -166,8 +166,7 @@
 	// size as the Columns() are wide.
 	//
 	// The dest slice may be populated only with
-	// a driver Value type, but excluding string.
-	// All string values must be converted to []byte.
+	// a driver Value type.
 	//
 	// Next should return io.EOF when there are no more rows.
 	Next(dest []Value) error
diff -r f12b24ea373f src/pkg/database/sql/driver/types.go
--- a/src/pkg/database/sql/driver/types.go	Sun Mar 17 19:50:01 2013 +0900
+++ b/src/pkg/database/sql/driver/types.go	Sun Mar 17 16:42:37 2013 +0100
@@ -172,25 +172,20 @@
 }
 
 // IsValue reports whether v is a valid Value parameter type.
-// Unlike IsScanValue, IsValue permits the string type.
 func IsValue(v interface{}) bool {
 	if IsScanValue(v) {
 		return true
 	}
-	if _, ok := v.(string); ok {
-		return true
-	}
 	return false
 }
 
 // IsScanValue reports whether v is a valid Value scan type.
-// Unlike IsValue, IsScanValue does not permit the string type.
 func IsScanValue(v interface{}) bool {
 	if v == nil {
 		return true
 	}
 	switch v.(type) {
-	case int64, float64, []byte, bool, time.Time:
+	case int64, float64, string, []byte, bool, time.Time:
 		return true
 	}
 	return false