What did you do before SQL?

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What did you do before SQL?

Dale Corey

SSCrazy Eights

Points: 9019
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September 8, 2003 at 9:40 am

#81967

Along the lines of Frank's thread on "How old are you?", Brian Kelley got me wondering what in the heck all of us did in "the old days" that might be interesting to share. Myself, I had a blast working at Kennedy Space Center from 1991 to 1994 for McDonnell Douglas Space Systems as a LAN Anaylyst. How 'bout the rest of you? Got any good ones to share?
All the best,
Dale

All the best,

Dale
Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

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Thomas Rushton SSC-Insane Points: 22649 More actions · Answer 1

quote:
Along the lines of Frank's thread on "How old are you?", Brian Kelley got me wondering what in the heck all of us did in "the old days" that might be interesting to share.

Once upon a time (1993-1995), I worked for the Software Engineering group at the Royal Military College of Science. I spent most of my time working on a project called "B User Trials", which studied a new software development toolkit (the B Toolkit) based on something called Abstract Machine Notation. The software provided a means of taking a formal specification and refining it down onto more concrete forms that could then be used to generate "guaranteed correct code". We got a couple of papers out of it (one at the Software Quality Conference, 1995, Dundee, UK), and I've not heard anything about it since I left!

After that, I became a programmer and that's when I started with SQL Server.

Thomas Rushton
blog: https://thelonedba.wordpress.com

Dale Corey SSCrazy Eights Points: 9019 More actions · Answer 2

That is very cool stuff, Thomas. You should be very proud of that to speak of.

When I was at KSC, I actually served on the team that helped design and implement the Space Station Processing Facility. That was very exciting!

All the best,

Dale

All the best,

Dale

Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736150 More actions · Answer 3

Prior to a fulltime DBA, managed IT for a small (< 50 people) company. Prior to that,

software developer

network admin (Novell/DOS/Windows)

Bartender

Waiter

Knucklehead in college

Steve Jones

sjones@sqlservercentral.com

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/sjones

http://www.dkranch.net

Steven. SSCrazy Eights Points: 9806 More actions · Answer 4

I was a Powerhouse 4GL developer (Cognos) on Digital VMS and HP-UX boxes

And prior to that when to Uni and got an Hons degree in computing with 'Database Management' and 'design of complex systems' (real time system etc) as options.

Steven

Dale Corey SSCrazy Eights Points: 9019 More actions · Answer 5

quote:
Bartender
Waiter
Knucklehead in college

I can definitely relate! My undergraduate was a fog compared to my graduate degree! I have no idea what I did for four years except party, sleep, eat, party,...

All the best,

Dale

All the best,

Dale

Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 6

I guess in college I marched to the beat of a different drum. (pun intended - I was at The Citadel in Regimental Band) While there I was band librarian for two years. I was forced to stay organized and keep track of music and who needed what parts burned, etc. Perhaps that was the training I needed to be a DBA. Nothing like the old smell of some of those arrangements... stuff that hadn't seen the light of day in years. It's amazing how much great music has been "forgotten."

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

BrenBart SSCrazy Points: 2622 More actions · Answer 7

Before becomeing a fulltime DBA I was a...

*** Post College ***

Manager of an IT department for a software company with < 50 people.

Helpdesk/pc tech.

*** College Years ***

Cashier Supervisor/trainer at a home improvement store.

House Painter

Collecter of Recycling for the University

Residential Remodeler.

*** Pre-College ***

Independent contracter

Construction Foreman

Carpenter

Truck Driver

Grunt (Otherwise known as a laborer.)

Cook

dishwasher

Door to Door sales

Retail Clerk

Farmer - Ok, I grew up on a farm which isn't quite the same thing as being a farmer but my Dad was a farmer. Did I work on the farm? Yes! Did I get paid? No! But this included: Driving tractors and other equipment [starting at age 8], milking goats, shoveling manure, general animal care, baling, hoeing and driving truck. In addition to that we fixed everything - which involved mechanical maintenance, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, welding, roofing and masonry.

People laugh when I say this but growing up on a farm has taught me a very helpful mindset towards computers. On a family farm if something breaks you fix it. (Or try to!) In the course of fixing it you disassemble it and if it can't be fixed you save the parts for fixing other things.

You learn to adapt things for your own purposes, share ideas with your neighbors and pitch in when times turn bad.

"I met Larry Niven at ConClave 27...AND I fixed his computer. How cool is that?"
(Memoirs of a geek)

Dale Corey SSCrazy Eights Points: 9019 More actions · Answer 8

BrenBart,

You and I will get along just fine. I was raised on a farm in Kentucky and did the same thing. Maybe that's why I never knew I was girl until I really blossomed in college. I'm proud of my early days. My father was an amazing man and taught me the best values by teaching me farm life. He was a actually a Temple graduate, a WWII Vet, and worked for Civil Service all his life but being a first generation American from Ireland, he knew the true value of learning the land.

All the best,

Dale

All the best,

Dale

Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736150 More actions · Answer 9

Never been a farmer, suburban boy, but now live on 2 1/2 acres and my wife wants a horse, so I guess I'm about to learn a few things.

Steve Jones

sjones@sqlservercentral.com

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/sjones

http://www.dkranch.net

Dale Corey SSCrazy Eights Points: 9019 More actions · Answer 10

DELETED THIS DOUBLE ENTRY.

Edited by - DALEC on 09/08/2003 12:04:02 PM

All the best,

Dale

Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

Dale Corey SSCrazy Eights Points: 9019 More actions · Answer 11

Oh boy, Steve,

You are in for a treat. Just watch out for low branches and ditches. Horses just love to drag you through those kinds of things. They think it's funny. That's why they whinny!

All the best,

Dale

All the best,

Dale

Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

SQLBill SSC Guru Points: 51440 More actions · Answer 12

I was in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. Retired September 2000. If I told you what I did I would have to corrupt all your databases . Then I was hired to do Oracle programming/DBA work. I've discussed what happened with that before. Now I'm an SQL Server 2000 DBA.

-SQLBill

K. Brian Kelley SSC Guru Points: 114642 More actions · Answer 13

quote:
I was in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. Retired September 2000. If I told you what I did I would have to corrupt all your databases

Sounds like a contractor who used to work for me at Gunter. He was in intell while he was in.

K. Brian Kelley

http://www.truthsolutions.com/

Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring

http://www.netimpress.com/

K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley

SQLBill SSC Guru Points: 51440 More actions · Answer 14

quote:
He was in intell while he was in.

I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility that the comment above applies to me.

-SQLBill