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Tip Bank

How compatible are VRML browsers?

Question: If I make a VRML page, can it be read by any browser? Answer: The original idea behind VRML 1.0 was that any VRML scene should be viewable using

Tax Problem Puzzle

Question: [Joe Celko’s Tax Problem Puzzle]I got this one from Richard S. Romley, via CompuServe. We were engaged in a debate about Sybase’s old T-SQL versus ANSI/ISO SQL-92. I assume

Finding the Most Recent and Consecutive Data

Question: [Joe Celko’s Pension Plan Puzzle]Luke Tymowski, a Canadian programmer, posted an interesting problem on the MSAccess forum on CompuServe in 1994 November. He was working on a pension fund

What does AFX stand for?

Question: I see the term “AFX” everywhere in the MFC source code.For example, “AFX_MSG_MAP”. What does it mean? Answer: I once asked this of Jeff Harbers, one of the original

Calculating Averages Using Clock Times

Question: Joe Celko’s Store Survey Puzzle]You are collecting statistical information stored by the quarter hour. What your customer wants is to get information by hour ? not on the hour.

What is GMD’s Dynamic Worlds proposal about?

Question: Please explain Dynamic Worlds. Answer: “The Power of Dynamic Worlds” proposal from the German National Research Center (GMD) is based on an interaction model developed for collaborative distributed virtual

Nested Outer Joins

Question: [Joe Celko’s Outer (JOIN) Limits Puzzle]Gerard Manko at ARI had a problem in 1994 April. They had just switched over from Paradox to Watcom SQL. The conversion of the