Re: Sun acquires MySQL

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On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:08:37 +0100
Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog(at)svana(dot)org> wrote:

> Type: \copyright for distribution terms
> \h for help with SQL commands
> \? for help with psql commands
> \g or terminate with semicolon to execute query
> \q to quit
>
> I think people should be able to read and know that \? is how to get
> help.

If only it were that simple. I teach. I teach that exact statement you
say above. Guess what the two most often things happen in class.

How do I get help again?
Why isn't my query executing? (they always forget the ;).

\? Is counter intuitive. There is zero valid argument against that.

Yes they should be able to read the screen. There is zero valid
argument against that.

Most won't.

Worse there are two ways to get help... \h and \? and they aren't the
same thing. I don't have a solution for that one.

I think adding help to the psql prompt is a very sane way to help
people. It is human.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake

>
> Have a nice day,

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