this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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I'm a tech interested guy. I've touched SQL once or twice, but wasn't able to really make sense of it. That combined with not having a practical use leaves SQL as largely a black box in my mind (though I am somewhat familiar with technical concepts in databasing).

With that, I keep seeing [pic related] as proof that Elon Musk doesn't understand SQL.

Can someone give me a technical explanation for how one would come to that conclusion? I'd love if you could pass technical documentation for that.

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[–] SloppyPuppy 60 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

As a data engineer for the past 20+ years: There is absolutely no fucking way that the us gov doesnt use sql. This is what shows that he’s stupid not only in sql but in data science in general.

Regarding duplications: its more nuanced than those statements each side put. There can be duplications in certain situations. In some situations there shouldnt be. And I dont really see how duplications in a db is open to fraud.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Well we heard what the Whitehouse press secretary has to say about the fraud they found 2 days ago. They found massive amounts and she brought receipts! All of them were examples of money being spent that disagree with Trump's new policies. Like money spent on DEI initiatives and aid sent to countries in Africa to help slow the spread of HIV. That receipt was for a laughable $57,000.

Then when asked how any of it was fraud she said, well they consider that fraud because it wasn't used to help Americans.

So the 27 year old married to a billionaire 32 years older than her is complaining that the money wasnt directly spent on her gold digging ass, and if it's not spent directly on her, it's fraud.

Biggest disgrace of a government that has ever existed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Yeah, obviously ol' boy is tripping if he thinks SQL isn't used in the government.

Big thing I'm prying at is whether there would be a legitimate purpose to have duplicated SSNs in the database (thus showing the First Bro doesn't understand how SQL works).

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 days ago (2 children)

If it's used as an identifier to link together rows from different tables. Also known as "joining" tables. SSN (with birthdate) is a unique identifier, and so it's natural to choose as a primary/foreign key.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

It really is baffling trying to make sense of what he is saying. It's like the only explanation that makes any sense at all is that he has no idea what he is talking about. Even if he knew just cursory knowledge about database cardinality you wouldn't say stuff so stupid.

[–] SloppyPuppy 1 points 5 days ago

Oh yeah? How about SCD? I bet all ssn are in an SCD.

[–] abigscaryhobo 3 points 5 days ago

It doesn't matter without scope. Are we looking at a database of SSNs? tax records? A sign in log? The social security number database might require uniques in some way, but tax records could be the same person over multiple years. A sign in gives a unique identifier but you could be signing in every day.

It's like saying a car VIN shows up multiple times in a database. Where? What database? Was it sold? Tickets? Registered every year?

This is nothing more than a "assume I mean immigrants or tax fraud and get mad!" inflammatory statement with no proof or reason.