December 30, 2013 at 8:30 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 2013 in Review
December 31, 2013 at 6:16 am
"I keep hoping that the efforts of sites like SQLServerCentral and events like SQL Saturday will change that, but it feels like we've barely made a dent in our profession."
I don't know about the profession as a whole, but I know personally I've learned a tremendous amount perusing SSC and attending SQL Saturday in DC this year so keep it up, it is making a difference.
There are always people in any line of work who will do just enough to get by and sadly this seems to be more rule than exception.
With regard to SQL Server in particular, it can get REAL overwhelming because there are so many pieces and parts. I sometimes feel like some wag dumped out a few dozen 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles on the floor, mixed up all the pieces and took away all the pictures, then set a bunch of timebombs around the room ready to explode if they're put together wrong. It's particularly difficult for us "Accidental DBAs" because we usually have other completely unrelated demands on our time.
But I for one am grateful for this site and the other resources like SQL Saturday, PASS, etc., that are out there.
____________
Just my $0.02 from over here in the cheap seats of the peanut gallery - please adjust for inflation and/or your local currency.
December 31, 2013 at 7:40 am
However, despite the many people that were awarded MCMs before the termination of that program, I still find large numbers of SQL Server professionals learn the bare minimum they need to acceptably do their job. I keep hoping that the efforts of sites like SQLServerCentral and events like SQL Saturday will change that, but it feels like we've barely made a dent in our profession.
On a personal level, I have found this site a big help in not only developing my knowledge but also revealing the holes in it so I have a grasp of how much more I have to learn. SQL Saturdays have also been an amazing source of both knowledge and perspective.
But as to the general sentiment of people only learning what they need, I think a lot of that symptom needs to be laid at the foot of the business and not the individual necessarily. I think when you get professionals dedicated to working with the DB, and with a career path laid out for advancing their knowledge, you get a fair bit of interest for continual improvement (not always, but often).
But so much database work comes down to accidental DBAs/Architects/Developers/BI people. And those people often have other things to master and other tasks to do. And even when they don't, the business doesn't WANT them become SQL experts because it risks losing their generalist to a dedicated SQL job elsewhere, and if they valued the expertise in the first place, the person never would have gotten the role.
December 31, 2013 at 8:23 am
As with the advance of mobile technology, Microsoft is behind the curve
in not providing a NoSql database product like a MongoDB or Cassandra.
Sql server is now pretty much entering the class of 'legacy' tech,
much like IBM's DB2 database did.
Mobile applications in particular, demand a much higher standard
of performance , so I hope that Microsoft adresses this issue in 2014
or it risks being left irrelevent, in the wake of mobile database tech.
advancements.
December 31, 2013 at 8:31 am
"...we've barely made a dent..."
SQLServerCentral, and the SQL community (PASS, SQL Saturday etc), have played a very important role in my career development as a data professional. Thank you for all you do -- it is noticed, it is appreciated, and it does work for those who bother to take the time/effort.
Hakim Ali
www.sqlzen.com
December 31, 2013 at 8:43 am
We had a lot of SQL Saturdays in 2013 ( 84 by my count), a new conference (SQL Interesction) along with ones we've had for years (SQL Bits, PASS Summit, SQL Connections).
In addition to the ones you mentioned, PASS put on its first Business Analytics Conference, which did well enough to be brought back for 2014. It also moved the Summit out of Seattle for the first time in several years, and that went smoothly. Overall, a very good year for SQL Server events.
December 31, 2013 at 9:04 am
hakim.ali (12/31/2013)
"...we've barely made a dent..."
SQLServerCentral, and the SQL community (PASS, SQL Saturday etc), have played a very important role in my career development as a data professional. Thank you for all you do -- it is noticed, it is appreciated, and it does work for those who bother to take the time/effort.
I couldn't have said it better myself. 🙂
I'd also like to say thanks to everyone for their help this past year.
-------------------------------------------------------------
we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us
Don't fear failure, fear regret.
December 31, 2013 at 9:19 am
I'm glad we've been able to help you and thanks for the kind words. We'll keep trying and pushing to reach more and more people, and hopefully improve the quality, capability, and value, of our profession in the future.
January 1, 2014 at 9:13 am
below86 (12/31/2013)
hakim.ali (12/31/2013)
"...we've barely made a dent..."
SQLServerCentral, and the SQL community (PASS, SQL Saturday etc), have played a very important role in my career development as a data professional. Thank you for all you do -- it is noticed, it is appreciated, and it does work for those who bother to take the time/effort.
I couldn't have said it better myself. 🙂
I'd also like to say thanks to everyone for their help this past year.
Totally agree with you!!
Rod
January 2, 2014 at 8:28 am
Steve,
At the end of this podcast you mentioned again, that you'd be stopping the video podcast. Or at least cutting back on it. You also said that you'll be starting an audio podcast. What's the name of the audio podcast? I want to find it in the Zune Marketplace and subscribe to it.
Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply