Re: How to be nice to customers and junior programmers

Mark C. Stock wrote:

> "Daniel Morgan" <damorgan_at_x.washington.edu> wrote in message
> news:1073576789.331819_at_yasure...
> | Turkbear wrote:
> |
> | > "Mark C. Stock" <mcstockX_at_Xenquery .com> wrote:
> | >
> | >
> | >>"Turkbear" <john.g_at_dot.spamfree.com> wrote in message
> | >>news:v5kovv4ifip3c7v8teaojjv2fooe3si28l_at_4ax.com...
> | >>| harve_projects_at_yahoo.com (HRR) wrote:
> | >>|
> | >>| >Hi,
> | >>| >
> | >>| >I have the following table
> | >>| >
> | >>| >1001 2 3
> | >>| >1001 3 5
> | >>| >1001 5 7
> | >>| >1002 5 4
> | >>| >1002 6 2
> | >>| >
> | >>| >I need to get a result
> | >>| >
> | >>| >1001 2 3
> | >>| >1002 6 2
> | >>| >
> | >>| >How is it possible ?
> | >>| Column names would have helped..assume a, b and c
> | >>|
> | >>| Select a,min(b),min(c) from sometable
> | >>| group by a;
> | >>|
> | >>|
> | >>
> | >>not exactly -- your query returns
> | >>
> | >>1001 2 3
> | >>1002 5 2
> | >>
> | >>either there's a typo by the OP, or, if OP really wants the row with the
> | >>minimum value of 'c', you need to do a pairwise compare with a subquery
> (see
> | >>my reply to the same OP in comp.databases.oracle)
> | >>
> | >>-- mcs
> | >>
> | >
> | > Yep..
> | > ( The results from my query are, in fact, the MIns for both b and c for
> each a, but not the row that has the min c value -
> | > because it does not have the min b)
> | > I'm not sure if it is a typo, but if not, then the logic is a little
> strange:
> | > Get the minimum b and minimum c when a = 1001 but Max(b),Min(c) when
> 1002????
> | > I assumed ( yes, I know) then the OP only cared about the values not the
> rows the values were in.
> |
> | How can you guys be proposing solutions when the OP never defined the
> | problem? Reminds me of the Dilbert cartoon where the boss says start
> | coding while I go get the requirements.
> |
> | --
> | Daniel Morgan
> | http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/oad/oad_crs.asp
> | http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/aoa/aoa_crs.asp
> | damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
> | (replace 'x' with a 'u' to reply)
> |
>
> simple -- this is how real-world scenarios often work
>
> assuming there were no typos, the 'customer's' requirements could be easily
> extrapolated (more easily than berating the OP and providing an admittedly
> useless sample)
> then, a solution is proposed, with assumptions clearly stated -- just like
> we do in the real world to move projects forward efficiently while not
> taking unacceptable risks, and facilitating discussions with the customer
> (who can now respond 'yeah, that looks right' or 'no, that's not what i
> meant' instead of 'sheesh! why are you IT guys so touchy!')
>
> -- mcs

Because no one pays us to be nice? ;-)

I think part of the service we provide in helping people is to push them to more critical thinking. Hardly any question asked is an emergency. So there is plenty of time for the OP to think things out and respond with the required information.

In this case ... school started again this week in many places and the question looks to me like it came straight out of a homework assignment.

-- 
Daniel Morgan
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/oad/oad_crs.asp
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/aoa/aoa_crs.asp
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with a 'u' to reply)