Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Chad Crawford SSChampion Points: 11610 More actions · Answer 1

jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.

Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.

Chad

TomThomson SSC Guru Points: 104773 More actions · Answer 2

Chad Crawford (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.
Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.
Chad

Surely if it were there it would have to be SRAL (Self Referential Acronym List)?

AL is horribly ambiguous, of course - for example AL in the 7 layer model is Application Layer, it's a US state, its an ISO country code, and in fact there are (I think) comfortably over 200 things that AL is regularly used for.

SRAL is not nearly as bad - fewer meanings by a factor of at least 10 - but is still far from unambiguous.

Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉

Tom

Sioban Krzywicki One Orange Chip Points: 27770 More actions · Answer 3

Tom.Thomson (3/10/2011)
Chad Crawford (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.
Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.
Chad
Surely if it were there it would have to be SRAL (Self Referential Acronym List)?
AL is horribly ambiguous, of course - for example AL in the 7 layer model is Application Layer, it's a US state, its an ISO country code, and in fact there are (I think) comfortably over 200 things that AL is regularly used for.
SRAL is not nearly as bad - fewer meanings by a factor of at least 10 - but is still far from unambiguous.
Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉

They are indeed. There's a table here that I keep wanting to abbreviate as FTP. Surely that would never cause confusion!

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What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

Evil Kraig F SSC Guru Points: 100851 More actions · Answer 4

Tom.Thomson (3/10/2011)
Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉

I have no idea what you're talking about, I mean, I work for it... you known, that creepy clown spider from Steven King? That and IS IT departments causing problems, or something else related to IT?

Guess it's just snafu, and what you're used to, when you deal with it.

- Craig Farrell

Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

GSquared SSC Guru Points: 260824 More actions · Answer 5

Tom.Thomson (3/10/2011)
Chad Crawford (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.
Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.
Chad
Surely if it were there it would have to be SRAL (Self Referential Acronym List)?
AL is horribly ambiguous, of course - for example AL in the 7 layer model is Application Layer, it's a US state, its an ISO country code, and in fact there are (I think) comfortably over 200 things that AL is regularly used for.
SRAL is not nearly as bad - fewer meanings by a factor of at least 10 - but is still far from unambiguous.
Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉

And thus was born "AA" (Acronym Ambiguity), which is recursively a violation of the whole concept it expresses! How cool is that!

We can "join AA" by using AAs (Ambiguous Acronyms), or state that "we are avoiding AA". The list of MAs (Misuse/Abuses) just goes on and on! (I'm assuming "AA" is a socially meaningful acronym outside the States. Does it carry the same "most common use" elsewhere? If not, that whole joke loses a lot of meaning.)

- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread

"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 6

jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
*note to self - don't go to any meals with Gus

Aw, he's not that bad!

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

jcrawf02 SSC-Insane Points: 24198 More actions · Answer 7

WayneS (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
*note to self - don't go to any meals with Gus
Aw, he's not that bad!

...said Stumpy...

---------------------------------------------------------
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 SSC-Insane Points: 24198 More actions · Answer 8

GSquared (3/10/2011)
Tom.Thomson (3/10/2011)
Chad Crawford (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.
Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.
Chad
Surely if it were there it would have to be SRAL (Self Referential Acronym List)?
AL is horribly ambiguous, of course - for example AL in the 7 layer model is Application Layer, it's a US state, its an ISO country code, and in fact there are (I think) comfortably over 200 things that AL is regularly used for.
SRAL is not nearly as bad - fewer meanings by a factor of at least 10 - but is still far from unambiguous.
Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉
And thus was born "AA" (Acronym Ambiguity), which is recursively a violation of the whole concept it expresses! How cool is that!
We can "join AA" by using AAs (Ambiguous Acronyms), or state that "we are avoiding AA". The list of MAs (Misuse/Abuses) just goes on and on! (I'm assuming "AA" is a socially meaningful acronym outside the States. Does it carry the same "most common use" elsewhere? If not, that whole joke loses a lot of meaning.)

See, now I have to add all of those just to see if anyone notices...

I'm still working on my master plan of successfully naming a project A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., haven't been able to figure that one out yet.

In all seriousness, it's disturbing when license plates begin to have hidden meaning to you.

---------------------------------------------------------
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."

Evil Kraig F SSC Guru Points: 100851 More actions · Answer 9

jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
I'm still working on my master plan of successfully naming a project A.C.R.O.N.Y.M., haven't been able to figure that one out yet.

You mean the unit of

Assault Crimes of Regular Officers in New York, Manhattan?

😛

Growing up in New York, Acronym was easy to make fun of. There's a lot worse out there... 😀

- Craig Farrell

Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004366 More actions · Answer 10

Stefan Krzywicki (3/10/2011)
GSquared (3/10/2011)
Brandie Tarvin (3/10/2011)
It's the Attack of the Acronyms!
Two years ago, we implemented a new process that uses the acronym "RI". I've been working on that process ever since. I've gotten so ingrained in it, that when a developer asked me how the Truncate Table command would work with RI, I spent two minutes trying to figure out what heck he was talking about. Our process doesn't care about T-SQL commands.
<headdesk>.
GAH. I hate that my first thought was process related, not referential integrity related. I am losing my techiness! Someone help me!
To truncate a table in Rhode Island, you first get a chainsaw, then you lock the chairs so no one new can sit down at the table, unless they use the NoLock feature as they sit (and then they deserve what they get, right?). Then you wait for everyone who has a properly locked seat at the table to finish eating and talking and get up. Lock each chair as it is vacated. When all you have left is either empty chairs, or chairs occupied by the NoLock people, you fire up the chainsaw and get to work.
Right?
Close, but in Rhode Island a "Table" is a large hamburger. And you "truncate" it by eating it.
OK, so I'm guessing here, but remember this is the state that calls a milkshake a "cabinet".

Heh... that's just "Awful, Awful". 😉

--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)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004366 More actions · Answer 11

ALZDBA (3/10/2011)
Brandie Tarvin (3/10/2011)
GilaMonster (3/10/2011)
I'm talking about the case where someone starts a new thread solely to say "Hey everyone, I wrote an awesome blog post on XYZ, go read it!!!!!"
I should start a brand new blog to tell everyone I'm writing awesome blog posts on my current blog... @=)
(Brandie hides behind Jeff.) Protect me from the lizard! @=)
This lizard doesn't punch, but it bites and is poisonous :hehe:
Fortunately Jeff has been immunized by time.:hehe:

Actually, the immunization occurred as a result of multiple bites. You know the old saying, "If it doesn't kill ya , it makes you stronger." That and a good thick layer of pork chop grease. 😛

--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)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004366 More actions · Answer 12

Steve Jones - SSC Editor (3/9/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/9/2011)
Steve, are you aware that you're sitting on a gold mine? Your barn could power Denver!
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/03/from-the-farmyard-to-the-powerplant.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss
Not sure it's a "gold" mine, but I need to get me one of those things. We have no shortage of fuel around here.

BWAA-HAA!!! HOOO-IIEEE!!! Until I remembered that you have horses, I though you were talking about this thread! 😛

--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)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004366 More actions · Answer 13

Chris Morris-439714 (3/7/2011)
SQLkiwi (3/4/2011)
Exciting day - just had my first Simple Talk article published:
http://www.simple-talk.com/sql/learn-sql-server/understanding-and-using-parallelism-in-sql-server/
Good lord Paul, they get better and better. You have an enviable skill, like Jeff M, at making the arcane accessible and understandable for us mere mortals.

I missed this before... thanks for placing me in the company of such a brilliant writer. :blush:

--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)

Bex SSCrazy Points: 2437 More actions · Answer 14

GSquared (3/10/2011)
Tom.Thomson (3/10/2011)
Chad Crawford (3/10/2011)
jcrawf02 (3/10/2011)
We actually have annual contests to see who can guess the most acronyms, and we pass out a list to new hires so they're not completely clueless. Has over 200 on the list.
Please tell me that AL (Acronym List) is not on there. Please. Please.
Chad
Surely if it were there it would have to be SRAL (Self Referential Acronym List)?
AL is horribly ambiguous, of course - for example AL in the 7 layer model is Application Layer, it's a US state, its an ISO country code, and in fact there are (I think) comfortably over 200 things that AL is regularly used for.
SRAL is not nearly as bad - fewer meanings by a factor of at least 10 - but is still far from unambiguous.
Of course there are some real horrors, with getting on for 500 common uses. Acronyms are often a bad idea because they are so thoroughly ambiguous. 😉
And thus was born "AA" (Acronym Ambiguity), which is recursively a violation of the whole concept it expresses! How cool is that!
We can "join AA" by using AAs (Ambiguous Acronyms), or state that "we are avoiding AA". The list of MAs (Misuse/Abuses) just goes on and on! (I'm assuming "AA" is a socially meaningful acronym outside the States. Does it carry the same "most common use" elsewhere? If not, that whole joke loses a lot of meaning.)

LOL. My experience. - At interview, the technical interviewer expressed dislike of acronym use. The non-technical interviewer replied, "funnily enough, I didn't know what DBA stood for until you applied for the post to be created." I think you can guess my job title. 🙂

Brandie Tarvin SSC Guru Points: 173068 More actions · Answer 15

hor_netuk (3/11/2011)
My experience. - At interview, the technical interviewer expressed dislike of acronym use. The non-technical interviewer replied, "funnily enough, I didn't know what DBA stood for until you applied for the post to be created." I think you can guess my job title. 🙂

DBA - Doing Business As

When people find out I'm a DBA, I get the "doing business as what, exactly?" question way too often.

Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.