Tim Spalding wrote:
> I'd consider teaching them how to use SQL directly.
>
> I've done it at LibraryThing. I take employees from the simplest
> SELECTs all the way to a people-who-have-X-also-have-Y self-join in
> one long hands-on lesson. It doubles as a sort of test, and I've even
> used it in hiring. LibraryThing's two full-time librarians got there
> with flying colors; I've had programmers who stumbled. (Not
> surprisingly they didn't work out.) Once someone understands SQL
> itself, you can throw a helper, like PMA, at them too.
>
> I think there's a real opportunity for empowerment here. Teach a man
> to SELECT and he'll never have to, um, fish again.
Define "understand SQL".  I can't help but be concerned about the adage 
"knows just enough to be dangerous".  I've seen some systems brought to 
their knees in terms of performance as a result of a couple of poorly 
constructed queries.