I found I quite liked HeidiSQL, the GUI that ships with MariaDB. It echos the commands that the GUI performs including those that are used by the GUI itself during its normal operation. It's quite a good teaching aid.

I think what we really need is a good hard look at intellisense. In SQL Management Studio intellisense is playing catchup with Red-Gate SQL Prompt but SQL Prompt isn't perfect.

As ever the technical problems are easy but there are two business problems to address.

1. Getting cheque signed to buy an intellisense solution

2. Make the development of an intellisense solution a viable business operation.

The writing of SSMS plug-ins is a bit of a black art. Perhaps Red-Gate could help out here.

1. Set up a plug-in writing competition

2. Provide the basic framework for a plugin so the actuall plug-in itself is a //TODO in the provided framework.