Development : No Great Shakes at SQL

I was just handed a technical test, this was for a job interview, and I was a little... well I'll say surprised, but then shocked, by the reply, lets take a look...

I was handed these SQL statements, in several questions, and then told to summarise what I should see on any output of the various instructions....

create table customers (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, name Text, age INTEGER, weight REAL);

insert into customers values(73, "Brian", 42, 33);

insert into customers values(1, "Helen", 12, 12.5);

select * from customers;

SELECT name, CASE WHEN age > 18 THEN "adult" ELSE "minor" END "type" FROM customers;

create table orders (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, customer_id INTEGER, desc TEXT);

insert into orders values (0, 73, "Apples");

insert into orders values (1, 73, "Oranges");

insert into orders values (2, 1, "Bananas");

select * from orders;

SELECT customers.name, orders.desc FROM customers JOIN orders ON customers.id = orders.customer_id;

I drew up the two tables, their info, the results of the selects and the listing of each order by the last point.

The final question was then, "alter the final query so that only orders by customers named "Brian" are displayed.

My answer was this:

SELECT customers.name, orders.desc FROM customers JOIN orders ON customers.id = orders.customer_id where customers.id = (select id from customers where name = "Brian");

Now, I'm no great shakes at SQL, it's a tool to be used, not a mantra to adhere to, so I understood that I could also solve this problem thus:

SELECT customers.name, orders.desc FROM customers JOIN orders ON customers.id = orders.customer_id where customers.name = "Brian";

Both are valid results, and yes I admit mine results in another query (within the parenthesis) however, in my mind I wanted all parameters directly in a query to be the result of other queries, meaning I could place "Select customers where name is 'Brian'" into a function elsewhere for ease of maintenance, rather than have "Brian" hard coded into the query here.

I discussed this when myself and the technical reviewer went over my suggested solution, I explained "The query in the bracket should be stand along, either as a separate query or stored procedure".

He made a note on his clip board, and I thought nothing more about it.

Fast forward a fortnight, and this morning I heard back from this job, they said I was a very good candidate, but failed the technical test on one key point.  I looked at my notes, nothing looked that key.

I left it there, and went back to the recruiter but asked them for specific technical feedback.

The feedback I received, just an hour ago...

"Over thinks the solution to a problem" and they cited the above answer.

I am flabbergasted, it seems people really would rather my not give a valid answer, or perhaps don't want to discuss the decisions I passed through in order to reach my conclusion.

Either way, I think my solution is valid, my point about being able to move the latter query into its own location is valid, code maintenance is important to me, so being able to break down none-nonsensical ordering things like SQL statements is high on my radar, but to be told I am essentially "too verbose"... I'll be frank, it's pissed me off.

But hey, what do I know?... I'm no great shakes at SQL.

Software Engineering : Is not Engineering

Right I'm guilty, and annoyed at myself, and making a change... Though I might still keep this as a tab on posts... I AM NOT GOING TO USE THE TERM "SOFTWARE ENGINEER" anymore....

This makes my degree certificate wrong, as it clearly states "Software Engineering", but even though that is indeed what I do every day, and what I read about every night, it is not what; nor who; I am... I am a programmer, a hacker (in the traditional sense), a tinkerer and a student of all things software.

Many other writers have call us programmers out on this, and finally, I'm going to eat humble pie and agree, when one sits down to write code one is not doing what the great engineers did, we are not forging rail-ways, bridges, hulls of great ships or physical tangible results which must stand the test of time.

We are building a more ethereal, almost smoke and mirror concept, results through the action of our instructions through another, that is programming it is what I do.

Why do I want to make this distinction?  Well, as you may tell from some of the recent posts around here, I've been involved in merging parts of teams and companies, meeting both incoming and shifting personnel to fit them into the matrix that spells "results" for a company.

No code has yet been cut, but a new team, and new ideas might very well be needed.  In turn I have reached out there and been talking to others, to recruiters, to other companies, and indeed I've sat before other people.

My friends also call upon my expertise, as one of the few from our graduating class still working in Software or indeed technology, I am often called upon for a little technical guidance.

Results have been mixed, but the determinable difference I have had between success and failure has relied, nearly exclusively, on the other party understanding the term "Software Engineer", it does not mean we can programme your VCR, set the clock on your Microwave, or save your phone contacts to your SIM card.  It means we are able to employ structured methods, to define procedure, and to design, write and test then document code as products for use or sale.

This does not include our being Electrical, Mechanical or Structural Engineers!

I am not trying, willing, or able to build the next Channel Tunnel, or Skylab, or HMS Bullshit.  I am able to cut code to make an existing system, or device, bend to the will of requirements upon it, I am able to look at the said device and decide whether it is fit for the purpose or not, I am not creating that device!

Creating said device is Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, I am Software, the use of the "Engineer" moniker is causing some confusion, some blurring of lines and so to help delimit this boundary and stop this confusion from now on I will self identify as a Programmer, and cease to try to explain all that this entails.

I am a Programmer, a Lead Programmer, a Systems Programmer, a Device Programmer, a Prototype Programmer, a Senior Programmer, a Team Leading Programmer, a Development Provisioning Programmer, no longer am I an Engineer!