It’s Monday time for this week’s weekly link round-up.  If you want to catch these links “live” (so exciting), follow me on twitter (@StrateSQL).  And see these throughout the day as I tweet out links of things I find interesting.  While these links aren’t the answer to life, the universe, and everything, they often share a few things about SQL Server and related technology topics that others may find useful. The links included in this summary are those prefixed with “Reading” and are items I’ve read over the past few days, usually after hours when sharing would be less than useful, and spaced out to avoid spamming.  The content of the links usually pertain to SQL Server, technology, and career topics; which I think others would find useful.

The Most Popular “Reading” Link

This weeks most popular link last week is for a blog post written by Peter Warden (@petewarden) on coding.  In it, he discusses the process he goes through before writing any code.  It’s a great article and worth reviewing, if you haven’t already.

Reading: "Five questions I ask myself before I write any code" http://t.co/MLmZZlVNGi

— Jason Strate (@StrateSQL) May 8, 2014

Last week’s top 20 “Reading” Links

Along with the top link, here are the top twenty items relating to SQL Server, technology and careers that were shared last week.  If you missed them throughout the week, here’s the opportunity to get caught up on some items that other’s read after I linked them out.

1. Five questions I ask myself before I write any code [24 clicks]
2. Full scans/sec doesn’t mean what you thinkBrent Ozar Unlimited [22 clicks]
3. Dynamic Sorting [21 clicks]
4. Why Certification Still Matters: The Why, The Journey, and Certification-fu à la Bruce Lee [19 clicks]
5. Monitoring SSD Performance [17 clicks]
6. Azure vs Amazon vs Rackspace vs HP vs Google: Cloud Storage Infographic [16 clicks]
7. Indexing Wide Keys in SQL Server [16 clicks]
8. Clustered Indexes vs. Heaps [16 clicks]
9. Troubleshooting AlwaysOn – Sometimes it takes many sets of eyes [15 clicks]
10. How Much Cache Do You Have? [14 clicks]
11. Optimize for… Mediocre? [13 clicks]
12. Using sys.dm_os_ring_buffers to Troubleshoot Connectivity Issues [8 clicks]
13. Microsoft Announces Windows Azure ExpressRoute [7 clicks]
14. What is Windows Azure? [7 clicks]
15. Ten Tips on How to Write a Professional Email [7 clicks]
16. Exploring the Magic of the Plan Cache [6 clicks]
17. Update on Stinger: the view from a Microsoft Committer [6 clicks]
18. Big Data: Integration with Little Data [5 clicks]
19. StarJoinInfo in Execution Plans [4 clicks]
20. Writing Better Conference Abstracts and Presentations [4 clicks]
21. Change the Game with APS and PolyBase [3 clicks]

Other Stuff Shared

Of course, no week would be complete without a few off-topic links.  These have nothing to do with technology or your career, but they are interesting and worth a second look.

1. Every day I’m hustlin’ [26 clicks]
2. Drinks You Only Order When You’re 21 [24 clicks]
3. Blue Ball Machine [19 clicks]
4. Someone is taking their love of dogs too far [19 clicks]
5. OMFGDOGS [16 clicks]
6. Improv Everywhere Participants Handcuffed After Prank Goes Awry [15 clicks]
7. Rolling Bachelor Party Headed For Kentucky Derby Finds Dead Body In RV [14 clicks]
8. Police Break Up Massive Party of 1,500 Teens After Word Spreads on Twitter [9 clicks]
9. The Avengers Meets Star Wars in This Awesome Mashup [8 clicks]
10. Find the Invisible Cow [8 clicks]
11. Koalas to the Max [6 clicks]
12. Staggering Beauty [5 clicks]
13. Eel slap! [2 clicks]

Got something you think I should read and share, leave a comment below.  Also, if you want to see all of the links that were tweeted out last week?