Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#31

Post by sonofaplum » Mon, May 04, 2020, 4:30 PM UTC

oefrha wrote: post #19

Nice concept but I really hate clicking on the buttons to form my statements... Is it possible to allow typing? Also, not ending my statement with a semicolon feels incomplete.

I agree with this. I would much prefer if there was a freeform query mode, where I could just type the queries without the buttons or hints.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#32

Post by mimimi31 » Mon, May 04, 2020, 4:42 PM UTC

Some of the instructions are worded weirdly, almost like they were auto-generated or mostly copy-pasted.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#33

Post by TallGuyShort » Mon, May 04, 2020, 4:47 PM UTC

ryannevius wrote: post #3

This reminds me of the SQL Murder Mystery: https://mystery.knightlab.com/

For other reasons, reminded me of Space Quest: https://spacequest.fandom.com/wiki/Sequel_Police

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#34

Post by doronlinder » Mon, May 04, 2020, 4:49 PM UTC

mimimi31 wrote: post #32

Some of the instructions are worded weirdly, almost like they were auto-generated or mostly copy-pasted.

Yes, the instructions as well as the levels and the data are auto generated. If something sounds off, please email me and I'll fix it.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#35

Post by jonny_eh » Mon, May 04, 2020, 4:58 PM UTC

The question where it asks for the list of unique download counts makes no sense.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#36

Post by code_duck » Mon, May 04, 2020, 5:00 PM UTC

doronlinder wrote: post #34

mimimi31 wrote: post #32

Some of the instructions are worded weirdly, almost like they were auto-generated or mostly copy-pasted.

Yes, the instructions as well as the levels and the data are auto generated. If something sounds off, please email me and I'll fix it.

Minor, and doesn't seem worth emailing about. I got to the 4th one and 'seized' is spelled 'siezed'.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#37

Post by code_duck » Mon, May 04, 2020, 5:01 PM UTC

oefrha wrote: post #19

Nice concept but I really hate clicking on the buttons to form my statements... Is it possible to allow typing? Also, not ending my statement with a semicolon feels incomplete.

I was trying to determine how to use a comma.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#38

Post by knight17 » Mon, May 04, 2020, 5:01 PM UTC

Here are some other SQL Learning resources I have collected in my note taking TiddlyWiki (mostly from HN itself).

Interactive SQL Tutorials :

▪ Chartio Interactive PostgreSQL SQL Tutorial - https://chartio.com/learn/sql/

▪ Select STAR SQL - https://selectstarsql.com/

▪ SQL Bolt - Learn SQL with simple, interactive exercises - https://sqlbolt.com/

▪ SQL Window functions - https://www.windowfunctions.com/

▪ PostgreSQL Exercises - https://pgexercises.com/

▪ SQL Zoo - http://sqlzoo.net/

▪ SQL Teaching - https://www.sqlteaching.com/

▪ ByteScout SQL Trainer - Use live data to train - https://app.bytescout.com/sql-trainer/index.html

▪ Schemaverse - A space-based strategy game implemented entirely within a PostgreSQL database - https://schemaverse.com/

▪ Oracle Live SQL - Lerarn and share SQL - https://livesql.oracle.com/

▪ GalaXQL 3.0 - an intractive tutorial with exploring the galaxy - http://sol.gfxile.net/g3/

▪ SQL Exercises - http://sql-ex.ru/index.php

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#39

Post by code_duck » Mon, May 04, 2020, 5:02 PM UTC

koolba wrote: post #10

Are the names and email addresses in the sample data real? They seem auto generated but the domains are real providers like Hotmail, Gmail, and Outlook.

I was wondering the same thing. As combos of common names and providers, it seems extremely likely that many of those email addresses are valid addresses belonging to real people.

Re: Show HN: SQL Police Department – Learn SQL while solving crimes

#40

Post by throwaway_pdp09 » Mon, May 04, 2020, 5:04 PM UTC

greggyb wrote: post #26

oefrha wrote: post #19

Nice concept but I really hate clicking on the buttons to form my statements... Is it possible to allow typing? Also, not ending my statement with a semicolon feels incomplete.

I agree. I work in Microsoft's SQL Server (incl. variations, e.g. Azure SQL DW) quite a bit. Based on my experience, I am the only person using semicolons in T-SQL.

I always try to use them. It's going to be mandatory says MS:

"Although the semicolon isn't required for most statements in this version of SQL Server, it will be required in a future version."