Just answered a really simple question. Someone else answered:

SELECT j.job_id, j.name AS job_name, a.name AS advertiser_name, j.time_added, j.active, j.moderated
jobs j join advertisers a
WHERE a.advertiser_id = j.advertiser_id

There are two obvious problems that will prevent this approach from parsing: no FROM clause, and no ON clause after the JOIN.

Yet the answer has two upvotes. Am I missing something?

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2 Answers

up vote 5 down vote accepted

You are missing the obvious.

People will upvote anything that "looks" correct and then move on. They either want to feel hotshot about being able to spot code at a second's glance and pass even quicker judgement or just want to sockpuppet some upvotes.

Maybe they'll realise their mistake (maybe) and then come post on Meta about how they should be able to retract or change their votes and how the vote window is too small unless the post is edited.

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I guess you're right. I prefer to use * while most people prefer to type out the column list. That might prompt people to vote for the other answer even though this issue is unrelated to the question –  Andomar Dec 14 '09 at 10:56
Anyway, I'm all for being able to retract your vote. Evaluating code is an iterative process, yet StackOverflow locks you into the first round of iteration. –  Andomar Dec 14 '09 at 10:57
When in doubt, leave a comment about why you think it's wrong/right. If after 30 minutes (or some other reasonable grace period) they haven't updated, they don't think it's wrong, or it's proven otherwise either way, then vote. –  random Dec 14 '09 at 11:13
To be honest if I see code in answers that answers the question and should work apart from a couple of syntax errors, I still upvote and (a) fix the answers myself or (b) leave a comment. –  Tamas Czinege Dec 14 '09 at 11:23
(but complaining and/or downvoting is a lot simpler I suppose) –  Tamas Czinege Dec 14 '09 at 11:24
@DrJ: How is downvoting simpler than upvoting? –  GI Joe Dec 14 '09 at 16:28
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While the code has obvious errors, it does contain useful information. It has most of the information needed to solve the problem. If you have your 2000 rep, just fix the answer. Or post your own correct answer and comment on theirs.

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The fact that random edited this very answer to fix a mistake is funny. –  Tamas Czinege Dec 14 '09 at 13:52
Maybe you can explain what useful information the answer contained? I can't see any –  Andomar Dec 14 '09 at 22:59
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