Clodoaldo wrote:
2008/2/29, Brent Friedman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
If you don't like the standard sql implementation, you could use plsql
 or any language to make an abstraction layer/wrapper for this
 functionality.  Just pass everything as a key/value pair, in an array or
 hashtable structure, to your abstraction layer/wrapper, and it can cycle
 through the data structure to do the insert or update for you.

Ok. I have been playing these tricks for the last 25 years. Please no
more tricks.

Tricks?

> If someone knows something about the reason for the
insert syntax in instead of the Update syntax then please elaborate on
it.

I believe it's because of the way it reads in English: "INSERT INTO <some columns> <these values>". One of the key benefits of SQL was supposed to be its ability for non-programmers to use it. As a result, they sacrificed consistency for the sake of ease-of-learning.

Of course, once you start writing queries of any complexity, you lose the benefits of reading as English.

If you come across a time machine, pop back to the first standards meeting and have a word with them, would you?

--
  Richard Huxton
  Archonet Ltd

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