Re: SQL feature requests

Gregory Stark <stark@enterprisedb.com> writes:
> I highly doubt the spec would ever conflict with allowing the user to elide
> the aliases given that Oracle (and others?) have always allowed this. Moreover
> if it's been 15 years without them adding it surely that argues we can be
> pretty sure they won't add them?

The $64 question in my mind is exactly why hasn't the spec allowed this?
It's clear that they have gone out of their way to not allow it, and
I think it's unwise to say "oh let's do it" without understanding why not.

> This seems like a particularly petty case compared to a lot of other
> extensions we do allow.

That's exactly the problem.  Most of our other extensions are justified
by some significant capability gain.  This isn't --- it provides zero
new functionality, and the "convenience" factor amounts to the saving of
one keystroke (ok, maybe two if you insist on a space before the alias).
Pretty weak argument...
        regards, tom lane