Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • Heh... no... that's certainly not ring knocking in my book. It takes a certain amount of hair to stand up in front of a worldwide community and speak. Anyone who does it should be proud of that little ribbon. Sorry, Grant... no pork chops for you today. 😛

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
    "Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
    Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

  • Darn. And I'm hungry too. Ah well. Life is full of these little disappointments.

    First round of scotch is on me!

    ----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software

  • Hopefully some of the rest of us will be on hand to listen.

    __________________________________________________

    Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain. -- Friedrich Schiller
    Stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down. -- Stephen Stills

  • Unfortunately, I know i won't make it. Work won't pay for it and I can't afford it on my own.

    I'd love to come and meet you all.

  • Think about speaking next year, maybe cutting some deal with work to cover a portion as training, you get a speaking slot, maybe write or edit stuff to earn a little $$$$

  • Jack Corbett (4/11/2009)


    So am I. The nice thing is I'm not expecting to be selected so I feel no pressure.

    I'm hoping they'll accept one of mine. Firstly because I had an absolute ball last year presenting. Second because it'll make the whole endeavour a fair bit cheaper. The conference is the second most expensive portion of the trip, after the air fare.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Y'all making want to attend the conference. I may get the chance to attend the conference for free but that does not include travel, lodging, or food. Being a contractor, that would be without pay too, so I doubt if I;ll get to go.

    🙁



    Alvin Ramard
    Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

    All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

    For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

  • Alvin Ramard (4/12/2009)


    Being a contractor, that would be without pay too

    Same here. It comes out of my 'education and training' savings.

    If you're paying your own way, ignore the conference hotels. They are expensive. There are a number of much cheaper hotels in Downtown Seattle, a bit further away than the conference hotels, but still within walking distance.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • GilaMonster (4/12/2009)


    Alvin Ramard (4/12/2009)


    Being a contractor, that would be without pay too

    Same here. It comes out of my 'education and training' savings.

    If you're paying your own way, ignore the conference hotels. They are expensive. There are a number of much cheaper hotels in Downtown Seattle, a bit further away than the conference hotels, but still within walking distance.

    Now you're talking, Gail... I'm in the same boat as you and Alvin. Contractor. I get to write the trip off, but it's still a week without pay.

    So, you were there last year. What's a good inexpensive place to stay?

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
    "Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
    Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

  • Heh... crud... I just sent Tony an email saying that I may have to cancel the book. Flo just beat the hell out of a Tally table split using a While Loop, no less. I'm still doing some testing but things aren't looking real good for the Tally table on this one. With the possible exception of the "quirky update", not looking so hot for pseudo-cursors either.

    BWAA-HAAA... I may also have to learn "C". She also just wrote a CLR that does a dandy split... 6 times faster than even her old/new SQL method. 'Bout time someone actually took the time to do that.

    Hmmm... maybe it's finally time to retire. 🙂

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
    "Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
    Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

  • Jeff Moden (4/12/2009)


    So, you were there last year. What's a good inexpensive place to stay?

    I stayed at the 7th Ave Inn last year. Decent rooms, includes breakfast (for the days you're not at the conference). About 7 or 8 blocks to the conference centre, all uphill. Tool me 10-15 min to walk. It's only a block from the ride-free section of bus routes, so time it right and catch a bus to slightly shorten the trip.

    Biggest problem I had was that the advertised free wireless internet was as intermittent as hell.

    A friend stayed in the 6th Ave inn earlier this year (for a couple days pre-MVP summit). He said it was fine and the wireless internet was decent. It's about the same distance away from the conference centre, might be a block closer.

    I'll see whichever's cheaper.

    Edit: :w00t: I just checked some airline prices, out of interest. KLM is charging just R12000 return to Seattle, all taxes included, and it's a very nice flight (2 10 hour flights with a 3 hour stop over in amsterdam). Much nicer than the Delta trip last year and cheaper too. 😀

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • GilaMonster (4/13/2009)


    ... it's a very nice flight (2 10 hour flights with a 3 hour stop over in amsterdam). Much nicer than the Delta trip last year and cheaper too. 😀

    Damn Gail, I know you're in a whole different world coming from SA, and I'm just a spoiled brat living in the US of A, but what kind of flights have you been on to call 2 10-hour flights 'very nice'?

    I get irritated when I have to change planes. At all.

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    How best to post your question[/url]
    How to post performance problems[/url]
    Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

    "stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

  • jcrawf02 (4/13/2009)


    GilaMonster (4/13/2009)


    ... it's a very nice flight (2 10 hour flights with a 3 hour stop over in amsterdam). Much nicer than the Delta trip last year and cheaper too. 😀

    Damn Gail, I know you're in a whole different world coming from SA, and I'm just a spoiled brat living in the US of A, but what kind of flights have you been on to call 2 10-hour flights 'very nice'?

    I get irritated when I have to change planes. At all.

    Changing planes in Amsterdam is not very stressful, provided you have at least a two-hour layover. I have a sister living there and sometimes, if the layover is long enough, I can easily pop out of the airport, have a nice visit with her, and pop back in plenty of time.

    Gaby
    ________________________________________________________________
    "In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
    - Albert Einstein

  • jcrawf02 (4/13/2009)


    Damn Gail, I know you're in a whole different world coming from SA, and I'm just a spoiled brat living in the US of A, but what kind of flights have you been on to call 2 10-hour flights 'very nice'?

    A 20 hour nightmare from Johannesburg to Atlanta. No changing of planes, just a 2 hour refueling stop in Senegal. That happens around 2am and you're not allowed off the plane but you do have to get out of your seat so security people come through and check that all hand luggage actually belongs to someone.

    Add to that seats that are about 5 cm too close to be comfortable and you'll see why I'm never flying Delta again.

    My change in Atlanta was 2 hours (which is tight for immigration, customs and security), we arrived half an hour late and I almost missed the connecting flight on to Salt Lake City.

    With the Amsterdam route, both flights are short enough to be manageable. (JHB is at least an 8-10 hour flight from anywhere interesting). KLM's planes are decent (at least last time I flew with them) and the food and service are both good (though not quite as good as Swiss Air)

    The 3 hour stop in Amsterdam is enough that you're not rushed in getting to the next plane, but not so long as to become boring. (Fly British Airways from JHB to anywhere in the US and you get a 6-8 hour layover in London)

    I get irritated when I have to change planes. At all.

    And what's the longest flight you've been on? I'm pretty sure after a 20 hour trip without changing planes you'll be saying a different thing.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Two ten hour flights aren't bad, providing they in different years and the plane needs to make a couple stops along the way 🙂

    Ugh, 20 hours. I wouldn't bother. Don't expect me down in SA anytime soon, Gail!

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