diff --git a/includes/entity.inc b/includes/entity.inc
index 1eb40c5..e6242bb 100644
--- a/includes/entity.inc
+++ b/includes/entity.inc
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   dependent on $operator.
    * @param $operator
    *   Possible values:
-   *   - '=', '!=', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
+   *   - '=', '<>', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
    *     operators expect $value to be a literal of the same type as the
    *     column.
    *   - 'IN', 'NOT IN': These operators expect $value to be an array of
@@ -618,6 +618,13 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   The called object.
    */
   public function entityCondition($name, $value, $operator = NULL) {
+    // The '!=' operator is deprecated in favour of the '<>' operator since the
+    // latter is ANSI SQL compatible. However in earlier versions of Drupal 7
+    // this was not the case, so to avoid an API change, convert '<>' back to
+    // '!=' before it is passed to storage modules.
+    if ($operator == '<>') {
+      $operator = '!=';
+    }
     $this->entityConditions[$name] = array(
       'value' => $value,
       'operator' => $operator,
@@ -724,7 +731,7 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   element in the array is dependent on $operator.
    * @param $operator
    *   Possible values:
-   *   - '=', '!=', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
+   *   - '=', '<>', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
    *     operators expect $value to be a literal of the same type as the
    *     column.
    *   - 'IN', 'NOT IN': These operators expect $value to be an array of
@@ -749,6 +756,13 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   The called object.
    */
   protected function addFieldCondition(&$conditions, $field, $column = NULL, $value = NULL, $operator = NULL, $delta_group = NULL, $language_group = NULL) {
+    // The '!=' operator is deprecated in favour of the '<>' operator since the
+    // latter is ANSI SQL compatible. However in earlier versions of Drupal 7
+    // this was not the case, so to avoid an API change, convert '<>' back to
+    // '!=' before it is passed to storage modules.
+    if ($operator == '<>') {
+      $operator = '!=';
+    }
     if (is_scalar($field)) {
       $field_definition = field_info_field($field);
       if (empty($field_definition)) {
@@ -789,7 +803,7 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   array is dependent on $operator.
    * @param $operator
    *   Possible values:
-   *   - '=', '!=', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
+   *   - '=', '<>', '>', '>=', '<', '<=', 'STARTS_WITH', 'CONTAINS': These
    *     operators expect $value to be a literal of the same type as the
    *     column.
    *   - 'IN', 'NOT IN': These operators expect $value to be an array of
@@ -803,6 +817,13 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   The called object.
    */
   public function propertyCondition($column, $value, $operator = NULL) {
+    // The '!=' operator is deprecated in favour of the '<>' operator since the
+    // latter is ANSI SQL compatible. However in earlier versions of Drupal 7
+    // this was not the case, so to avoid an API change, convert '<>' back to
+    // '!=' before it is passed to storage modules.
+    if ($operator == '<>') {
+      $operator = '!=';
+    }
     $this->propertyConditions[] = array(
       'column' => $column,
       'value' => $value,
@@ -1313,6 +1334,10 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
    *   conditions on aliased columns.
    */
   public function addCondition(SelectQuery $select_query, $sql_field, $condition, $having = FALSE) {
+    // Convert the '!=' operator to its ANSI SQL equivalent.
+    if ($condition['operator'] == '!=') {
+      $condition['operator'] = '<>';
+    } 
     $method = $having ? 'havingCondition' : 'condition';
     $like_prefix = '';
     switch ($condition['operator']) {
@@ -1325,7 +1350,6 @@ class EntityFieldQuery {
         $select_query->$method($sql_field, $condition['value'], $condition['operator']);
     }
   }
-
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/includes/update.inc b/includes/update.inc
index 1eb7a1d..fb1f1bf 100644
--- a/includes/update.inc
+++ b/includes/update.inc
@@ -1397,7 +1397,7 @@ function update_retrieve_dependencies() {
   $return = array();
   // Get a list of installed modules, arranged so that we invoke their hooks in
   // the same order that module_invoke_all() does.
-  $modules = db_query("SELECT name FROM {system} WHERE type = 'module' AND schema_version != :schema ORDER BY weight ASC, name ASC", array(':schema' => SCHEMA_UNINSTALLED))->fetchCol();
+  $modules = db_query("SELECT name FROM {system} WHERE type = 'module' AND schema_version <> :schema ORDER BY weight ASC, name ASC", array(':schema' => SCHEMA_UNINSTALLED))->fetchCol();
   foreach ($modules as $module) {
     $function = $module . '_update_dependencies';
     if (function_exists($function)) {
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/entity_query.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/entity_query.test
index 0fe8106..10e2a0e 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/entity_query.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/entity_query.test
@@ -722,6 +722,32 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
     $query
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity_bundle_key')
+      ->propertyCondition('ftid', 3, '<>');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 1),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 2),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 4),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 5),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 6),
+    ), t('Test the "not equal to" operation on a property.'));
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 3, '<>');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 1),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 2),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 4),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 5),
+      array('test_entity_bundle_key', 6),
+      array('test_entity', 1),
+      array('test_entity', 2),
+      array('test_entity', 4),
+    ), t('Test the "not equal to" operation on a field.'));
+
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity_bundle_key')
       ->propertyCondition('ftid', 3, '!=');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
       array('test_entity_bundle_key', 1),
@@ -1088,6 +1114,15 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
     $query
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '<>');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
+      array('test_entity', 1),
+    ), t('Test with a language meta condition.'));
+
+    // Test language field meta condition.
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '!=');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
       array('test_entity', 1),
@@ -1115,6 +1150,17 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $query
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', NULL, 'group')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '<>', NULL, 'group');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
+      array('test_entity', 1),
+    ), t('Test with a grouped language meta condition.'));
+
+
+    // Test language grouping.
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', NULL, 'group')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '!=', NULL, 'group');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
       array('test_entity', 1),
@@ -1124,6 +1170,13 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $query
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', NULL, 'group')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '<>', NULL, 'group');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped language meta condition (empty result set).'));
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', NULL, 'group')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '!=', NULL, 'group');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped language meta condition (empty result set).'));
 
@@ -1133,6 +1186,17 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '<', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '<>', 'delta', 'language');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
+      array('test_entity', 1),
+    ), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition.'));
+
+    // Test delta and language grouping.
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '<', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '!=', 'delta', 'language');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(
       array('test_entity', 1),
@@ -1143,6 +1207,14 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '>=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '<>', 'delta', 'language');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, delta condition unsatisifed).'));
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '>=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], 'en', '!=', 'delta', 'language');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, delta condition unsatisifed).'));
 
@@ -1151,6 +1223,14 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '<', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '<>', 'delta', 'language');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, language condition unsatisifed).'));
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '<', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '!=', 'delta', 'language');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, language condition unsatisifed).'));
 
@@ -1159,6 +1239,14 @@ class EntityFieldQueryTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
       ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '>=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '<>', 'delta', 'language');
+    $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, both conditions unsatisifed).'));
+
+    $query = new EntityFieldQuery();
+    $query
+      ->entityCondition('entity_type', 'test_entity', '=')
+      ->fieldCondition($this->fields[0], 'value', 0, '=', 'delta', 'language')
+      ->fieldDeltaCondition($this->fields[0], 1, '>=', 'delta', 'language')
       ->fieldLanguageCondition($this->fields[0], LANGUAGE_NONE, '!=', 'delta', 'language');
     $this->assertEntityFieldQuery($query, array(), t('Test with a grouped delta + language meta condition (empty result set, both conditions unsatisifed).'));
 
diff --git a/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index 0d3a8d7..3313f5a 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function system_admin_config_page() {
       SELECT m.*, ml.*
       FROM {menu_links} ml
       INNER JOIN {menu_router} m ON ml.router_path = m.path
-      WHERE ml.link_path != 'admin/help' AND menu_name = :menu_name AND ml.plid = :mlid AND hidden = 0", $admin, array('fetch' => PDO::FETCH_ASSOC));
+      WHERE ml.link_path <> 'admin/help' AND menu_name = :menu_name AND ml.plid = :mlid AND hidden = 0", $admin, array('fetch' => PDO::FETCH_ASSOC));
     foreach ($result as $item) {
       _menu_link_translate($item);
       if (!$item['access']) {
diff --git a/modules/system/system.api.php b/modules/system/system.api.php
index 179f123..1720e3f 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.api.php
+++ b/modules/system/system.api.php
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ function hook_cron() {
 
   // Long-running operation example, leveraging a queue:
   // Fetch feeds from other sites.
-  $result = db_query('SELECT * FROM {aggregator_feed} WHERE checked + refresh < :time AND refresh != :never', array(
+  $result = db_query('SELECT * FROM {aggregator_feed} WHERE checked + refresh < :time AND refresh <> :never', array(
     ':time' => REQUEST_TIME,
     ':never' => AGGREGATOR_CLEAR_NEVER,
   ));
diff --git a/modules/system/system.module b/modules/system/system.module
index 4136ecd..87625c5 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/modules/system/system.module
@@ -2912,7 +2912,7 @@ function system_get_module_admin_tasks($module, $info) {
       ->condition('ml.hidden', 0, '>=')
       ->condition('ml.module', 'system')
       ->condition('m.number_parts', 1, '>')
-      ->condition('m.page_callback', 'system_admin_menu_block_page', '!=');
+      ->condition('m.page_callback', 'system_admin_menu_block_page', '<>');
     foreach ($query->execute() as $link) {
       _menu_link_translate($link);
       if ($link['access']) {