Datamation's Proposed Extention to SQL Language (#2)

In the June 1, 1994 issue of Datamation, the cover story proposes 3 extensions to the SQL language. In an article, "SQL is our language. Fix it now.", the editors suggest three extensions that appear syntactically compatible with SQL as I know it. Here is the first of the three. I have made my comments. I would be interested in reading yours.

[If you have not read the article, what follows may not be very clear]

#2 sequential functions:

The editors propose three sequential functions:

	number(),
	numberof(),
	totalof(expression)
	rank(expression)
	tertile(expression)
	quartile(expression)
	movingavg(expression,num)
	movingsum(expression,num)
	cumulative(expression)

I would propose a generic version of tertile (if that a word?) and quartile,

        ntile(expression,n) (e.g. quartile(expression) == ntile(expression,4)

-- 
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Michael Sallwasser  | Down one path is utter dispair and hopelessness. Down 
Northrop Grumman    | the other is total destruction. Let us choose wisely.