Re: Why using "Group By"

"Mikito Harakiri" <mikharakiri_at_ywho.com> wrote in message news:RN5ca.15$wV5.160_at_news.oracle.com...
> "Bob Badour" <bbadour_at_golden.net> wrote in message
> news:jC5ca.63$hO2.8318076_at_mantis.golden.net...
>
> > On a system that requires logical identity, the same query would simply
> be:
> >
> > select max(ssal) from ( select deptno, sum(sal) as ssal from emp )
>
> I'm not suggesting that
>
> select max(sum(sal)) from emp
> group by dept
>
> is more consistent notation than
>
> select max(ssal) from
> ( select deptno, sum(sal) as ssal from emp /*implicit GBY*/)
>
> It is just takes less keystrokes.
>
> If the goal is the consistent GBY notation, it would require rewriting
>
> select sum(sal) from emp
>
> as
>
> select sum(sal) from emp
> group by {}
>
> or more realistically
>
> select sum(sal) from emp
> group by 1
>
> The latter can be transformed into a NULL bait
>
> select sum(sal) from emp
> group by NULL
>
> (it actually runs on oracle;-)
>
> You can find confusing notation everywhere, including math. If
> mathematicians struggle to develop consistent notation, what would you
> expect from SQL folks?

From what I have seen from them over the years, I expect them to screw things up royally. They haven't disappointed me yet. Received on Thu Mar 13 2003 - 22:02:59 CET