Re: make == as = ?

On Wed, 7 Apr 2004, Fabien COELHO wrote:

>
> > > From my point of view, my students come from a java first course, so they
> > > have to learn again some new syntax and new operators. Small stuff, but
> > > it can help to say "same as java" and go on to new concepts.
> >
> > Don't you want them to learn SQL?
>
> I want to teach them the concepts: relations, views, relationnal algebra,
> aggregation and so on, and how to build a resonnable schema from a
> real-world problem.

Which are all good things. But even if you wanted to make java-like
flavored SQL for such a purpose, I don't see how that ties into changing
the default behavior of postgres flavored SQL.

> I do not consider whether the comparison is == or = as a key issue.

It could be if your students think they know SQL and want to get a job
doing it. I know that if I were to ask questions and had someone
consistenly misuse == for = and such it would certainly raise doubts, just
like many answers for a C question about a = a++ + ++a.

> Moreover, there are many SQL flavors around, so whatever the detailed
> syntax I learn them, it won't be the one they will have to face if the
> database they use is different. So why bother?

Because hopefully by the time your students are out they know how to
generalize their knowledge and be able to use what they've learned as the
base point to learn the various flavors.