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That's definitely true. One cartesian query can ruin your day... On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 1:22 PM, John Fereira <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > 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. > -- Check out my library at http://www.librarything.com/profile/timspalding