> Visual query builders are a deskilling device. There's a small hump to get over to learn to write SQL queries, it's worth getting over (IMO) (there are times when I'd like to take a large existing multi-way join and see a pic of it though).

Oh, I can write massively complex queries with the best of 'em, but I like visualizing the connections seeing it all out in front of me helps me. And it's not often I need this, just the few times I do it really strikes me as odd that the tools we had for this were better all those years ago. Also, it can really help explain things to new devs.

Your PoV reminds me a bit of the old GUI vs CLI flame wars :) both have merit, it's not a zero-sum game.

> The index wizard is likewise de-skilling.

This is just really a time suck for me. It's not my primary task, all I want is the DB to be better at its job so it lets me be better at mine. In companies without DBAs these tools are very useful.