Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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jcrawf02 SSC-Insane Points: 24198 More actions · Answer 1

Alvin Ramard (7/31/2010)
Steve Jones - Editor (7/31/2010)
You can't make them pay. .....
That's not true. I know it may not be easy, but I cannot accept that kind of generalization!
One of the biggest problems is that people are afraid to expose the BS they see. Enough is enough folks.

Step 1 - Go buy a cape and a mask. What's that? You already have a cape? ok, onward...

Step 2 - Prowl the streets of Gotham, making them pay.....

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"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."

Alvin Ramard SSC-Forever Points: 41190 More actions · Answer 2

jcrawf02 (8/2/2010)
Alvin Ramard (7/31/2010)
Steve Jones - Editor (7/31/2010)
You can't make them pay. .....
That's not true. I know it may not be easy, but I cannot accept that kind of generalization!
One of the biggest problems is that people are afraid to expose the BS they see. Enough is enough folks.
Step 1 - Go buy a cape and a mask. What's that? You already have a cape? ok, onward...
Step 2 - Prowl the streets of Gotham, making them pay.....

Please, no discussion on this site about what I do in my secret and private time. 😎 😛

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]

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 3

Gianluca Sartori (8/2/2010)
Jeff Moden (8/2/2010)
Gianluca Sartori (8/2/2010)
BTW, my hourly rate is around 11 euros (14 dollars).
Wow! If that's actually true, that's WAY too low for someone of your level of talent, Gianluca. You need to have a look around and, no, you shouldn't have to move to get a better hourly rate.
Thank you for your kind words, Jeff. Unfortunately, my rate seems to be perfectly aligned with the market here. Looking at the job market in my area I should be happy to have a job.
I sometimes see 150K $/year DBA positions in the US and I wonder why I'm still here.
What exactly are you americans doing at work that makes you worth all that money?

I wish I could find one of those $150K/yr jobs, that would make my wife happy.

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398872 More actions · Answer 4

Lynn Pettis (8/2/2010)
Gianluca Sartori (8/2/2010)
Jeff Moden (8/2/2010)
Gianluca Sartori (8/2/2010)
BTW, my hourly rate is around 11 euros (14 dollars).
Wow! If that's actually true, that's WAY too low for someone of your level of talent, Gianluca. You need to have a look around and, no, you shouldn't have to move to get a better hourly rate.
Thank you for your kind words, Jeff. Unfortunately, my rate seems to be perfectly aligned with the market here. Looking at the job market in my area I should be happy to have a job.
I sometimes see 150K $/year DBA positions in the US and I wonder why I'm still here.
What exactly are you americans doing at work that makes you worth all that money?
I wish I could find one of those $150K/yr jobs, that would make my wife happy.

Ditto!

And preferably without having to move.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 5

Lynn Pettis (8/2/2010)
I wish I could find one of those $150K/yr jobs, that would make my wife happy.

Sigh. Only until she gets used to it. Then I'll be looking for the $175K/yr... then $200K/yr... :w00t:

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 6

WayneS (8/2/2010)
I would realistically charge (for something like this) a little less than what Gail is mentioning here... after all, she is a lot better than I! 😎

I was starting to worry. I know my rate is low compared to ppl in the USA, but still...

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

Ben Teraberry SSChampion Points: 11845 More actions · Answer 7

Kind of sad though ... I'm personally familiar with a number of companies that pay $200/hr (at an avg of 5-10 hrs per week throughout the year) or more for SQL consulting services that are frankly horrible. (If only there was a way to be in two places at the same time!) So say $50K a year for basically 1/8 of the time of a full-time employee. But (especially with increased taxes coming) companies don't want to add fixed employee costs to the books so even if they need 15 hrs/week they would rather pay $150+ in consulting than to hire someone at a reasonable rate.

I've also noticed that most companies seem to prefer hiring 5 really crappy employees than 2 good ones at a more competitive rate.

└> bt

Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

Roy Ernest SSC-Dedicated Points: 38780 More actions · Answer 8

Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).

The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......

-Roy

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 9

bteraberry (8/2/2010)
... so even if they need 15 hrs/week they would rather pay $150+ in consulting than to hire someone at a reasonable rate.

Suits me. 😀

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

Alvin Ramard SSC-Forever Points: 41190 More actions · Answer 10

Roy Ernest (8/2/2010)
Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).
The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......

... and 5 not so good heads can cause much more damage than 2 much more competent heads.

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]

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736078 More actions · Answer 11

In case anyone needs a humorous break: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiFKm6l5-vE

Sioban Krzywicki One Orange Chip Points: 27770 More actions · Answer 12

Roy Ernest (8/2/2010)
Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).
The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......

And then they eventually hire a consultant or two to fix everything and end up spending far more than they "saved" with the not-so-good team.

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When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
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It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 13

Stefan Krzywicki (8/2/2010)
Roy Ernest (8/2/2010)
Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).
The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......
And then they eventually hire a consultant or two to fix everything and end up spending far more than they "saved" with the not-so-good team.

Then another consultant or two to fix the mess that the first bunch of consultants made in trying to fix things.

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

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 14

GilaMonster (8/2/2010)
Stefan Krzywicki (8/2/2010)
Roy Ernest (8/2/2010)
Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).
The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......
And then they eventually hire a consultant or two to fix everything and end up spending far more than they "saved" with the not-so-good team.
Then another consultant or two to fix the mess that the first bunch of consultants made in trying to fix things.

Then those consultants will leave. And the company will repeat the cycle. They would prefer to play Russian roulette because they think they can beat the game.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
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Sioban Krzywicki One Orange Chip Points: 27770 More actions · Answer 15

GilaMonster (8/2/2010)
Stefan Krzywicki (8/2/2010)
Roy Ernest (8/2/2010)
Five heads are better than two... Or so they think.. 🙂 That is why they prefer to take 5 not so good personnel (that comes cheap) over two competitive personnel (that is more expensive).
The only thing they forget is the cost they will spend trying to fix the mess that was created by the 5.. 🙂 Story of life in every company I guess......
And then they eventually hire a consultant or two to fix everything and end up spending far more than they "saved" with the not-so-good team.
Then another consultant or two to fix the mess that the first bunch of consultants made in trying to fix things.

Now, now. Some of us are pretty good. The key is always how much they're willing to tell you about their business process before demanding everything be fixed. That's the biggest problem for good consultants (and I like to consider myself one of those). First you need to know what the system is <I>supposed</I> to do, then you have to figure out how it was done incorrectly to fix it properly or just start over. I've been to a number of interviews where they make it clear they don't want to spend the time on that. I tell them it won't be fixed correctly if they don't provide the information or time and then I don't get the contract.

In the most amusing of these situations, I find myself getting calls from agencies 6 mos to a year later for those same companies that "just want it fixed now" for the same project.

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When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
--------------------------------------
It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams