Ask HN: Do you say "Sequel" or SQL?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5701031

by dvt • 13 years ago

5 18 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

People that I've worked with (as well as a number of past professors) use "Sequel" when referring to the database (not a movie).

I know it's fairly common, but it really bugs the hell out of me.

271828182842• 13 years ago

It is less syllables while conveying the same idea. Stop letting it bug you and use the version you prefer. It isn't worth the mental energy.

t0• 13 years ago

I have it down to one syllable. Skwull.

271828182842• 13 years ago

That works as long as people get it.

krapp• 13 years ago

I call it squirrel. Just because.

throwaway1979• 13 years ago

I say sequel when talking about the language. I'm in my early 30s for reference.

I say relational database when I want to talk about the DB itself to distinguish it from the others :)

Btw ... the reason it is common is because sequel used to be a predecessor to SQL.

bifrost• 13 years ago

I abbreviate more often than not, I'm early 30s. Most of my communication regarding databases happens online anyways so I tend to write out "SQL" or "RDBMS" a fair amount. In verbal conversation I might say "My Sequel" but I usally refer to Postgres as "PG". IMHO they're minor differences in the vernacular.

amikazmi• 13 years ago

For some reason I couldn't remember how to say Postgres and used "Pos-gststs-something" a few times, so I kept it afterwords :)

hashtree• 13 years ago

Sequel, for the same reason I say fibee for FBI. Oh, wait.

mildavw• 13 years ago

Lately, we've been using the incredibly poorly named Ruby ORM Sequel.

Since, in our office, SQL rhymes with "equal," Sequel rhymes with either "seek well" or "neck will".

Oi.

kalefranz• 13 years ago

It's sequel and know-sequel for me too. Another early 30s.

cafard• 13 years ago

MySequel, Microsoft Sequel Server, Oracle SequelDeveloper (which now you mention it does sound like Hollywood), T-Sequel, but PL/EssCueEll. For Oracle SQL*Plus, I think I go back and forth. Odd and inconsistent, I agree.

Why does it bug you?

dvt• 13 years ago

Because it's (often) spelled SQL (e.g. MySQL). But yeah, inconsistency.

At least we don't deal with inconsistencies in too many places as software developers. /sarcasm

Skoofoo• 13 years ago

SQL actually first started out as SEQUEL and then was changed due to trademark issues, so calling it "sequel" is not all that incorrect.

memracom• 13 years ago

The way I remember it from Date's db book way back in the late 70's, is that first there was QUEL which stood for QUEry Language. The follow-on improved product was SEQUEL which stood for Structured English QUEry Language and attempted to be more like grammatical english (following on from the concepts of COBOL). The intention was that management (probably accountants) would be able to use this query language themselves to check up on what the programmers had put in the DB. This was then commercialized under the name SQL partly because it was a follow-on improved version of SEQUEL and partly because TLA's were very marketable. Somehow it ended up being used as an interface language for talking to DBs and management never used it at all. I say SQL, of course.

staunch• 13 years ago

These are the things that stopped bothering me at some point along the way. I still prefer SQL to Sequel, and in general prefer acronyms to be spelled out, but at the end of the day it really doesn't matter.

In all techno-religious matters you're better off just embracing the variety.

stevekemp• 13 years ago

Pretty much agree, with the massive exception that I used to work with a bloke who pronounced "HTML" (which I spell out) as "h-timmell". That drove me mad.

LarryMade2• 13 years ago

people using "sequel" used to be a good indication they were more familiar with Microsoft SQL server, as a lot of the promotion for it pronounced sequel; where most other SQL admins went with the more formal S.Q.L. pronunciation.

xauronx• 13 years ago

I say Microsoft sequel server to non-techies(but M-S-S-Q-L to people who know what it is), and MyS-Q-L always.

Ask HN: Do you say "Sequel" or SQL?

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