James,
>> Gotta say that this is a bad reason to choose one product vs.
>> another... because it lacks a GUI to build queries? Undertanding SQL
>> is all well and good, but I can tell you that I would give anything to
>> have a query builder that works like the one for MS SQL server. You may
>> enjoy writing incredibly long join queries because it demonstrates
>> your understanding of SQL syntax. Personally, I'd rather spend my time
>> watching grass grow. What is the value of doing something in code
>> which is inherently visual, and is a lot easier to do visually?
You do make a valid point, part of the reason I like M$SQL is that you can
build
complex expressions with their GUI tools, but....
Last year, I did some work for a client and he requested that I do it
in-house. Now,
since I was on a deadline (2 weeks), I figured I'd use the Enterprise
Manager to build
my stuff and off and away I go. Well, for some strange reason I was never
able to
determine why, but it took 15-20 minutes to connect to a database on the
East Coast. When I
attempted to connect via the query analyzer, the connection was
instantaneous. I learned
by visual means to create tables, add triggers, yada, yada, yada... Well,
this was
definitely a learning experience because now I had to learn how to do
everything by DML
via the query analyzer if I was going to meet this deadline. Now I prefer
to do all
my work using a command-line tool. I recently upgraded to SQL2000 on my
machine at home
and have encountered the same situation again! Fortunately, I can drop out
of GUI-mode
and work by DML until I can figure how why this happens.
I understand that every user has a right to choose how they want to work,
but I often see
colleauges using a GUI tool to change a datatype or some other menial task
(often with
several mouse clicks and waiting for the GUI tool to open up) which can
cause one to lose
more productivity when more often than not, to do it one simple command from
a production
standpoint makes no sense to me.
>> A query builder will not make a database developer out of a novice,
>> but it can make a professional developer's job a lot easier.
True.
>> I can spend
>> my time writing complex code that can't be done with a tool, and not
waste
>> it doing repetitive, boring joins that take a few seconds with a
>> visual tool.
That's where I do agree with you, and one of the things I don't like about
M$SQL. To a certain
degree, wizards are nice, but when it lulls a user into a false sense of
security about being
able to build queries quickly, what do you do when it doesn't become
available? It's like a
cashier saying to you that they can't give you change, because they don't
know how to do it
without a machine??!! (Don't laugh, I've had that happen to me on many
occassions)
Sorry to make this so long....
My $0.02
Christopher Oson
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