Comment New idea (Score 1) 6
How about just not changing it at all? There's no need to look like Gawker.
CREATE TABLE emps (id INT(10) AUTO_INCREMENT,
fname VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
sname VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL);
INSERT INTO emps (fname) VALUES ('John');
In a proper RDBMS, that would fail for violating a constraint. MySQL/MariaDB just massage the missing sname into an empty string, which is about as valid as just sticking 'sldfjpsdj;ksdj;fsdljkfsd.'
A penny saved is a penny to squander. -- Ambrose Bierce