Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 1

Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.

Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.

Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 2

ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.

I like Alfie. He's been a good cat for us. Well, at least his distant twin. Alfie eats breakfast and dinner at my place just about every day. He has been instrumental in the control of the gopher population in my yard.

And due to his service, we keep the dogs locked up during his meal time - just in case.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

GSquared SSC Guru Points: 260824 More actions · Answer 3

ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.

With a "y", it could be a reference to the actress, instead of the animated lion. Actress: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810083/

- 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

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 4

GSquared (8/16/2012)
ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.
With a "y", it could be a reference to the actress, instead of the animated lion. Actress: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810083/

Gosh :blush: cute. Wouldn't mind keeping her indoors for three weeks.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 5

ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.

Cute cats. I currently live in an apartment, and don't want to deal with the pet deposit or pay pet rent so I will have to pass on adopting any animals for now.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 6

Here is one for the do not hire list.

Or it could be the needs much training list.

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 7

Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
Here is one for the do not hire list.
Or it could be the needs much training list.

I just had to respond.

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

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 8

Maybe there should be a college level course in "How to read error messages." A full semester class to teach people how to read and interpret error messages.

Dwain Camps SSC Guru Points: 86948 More actions · Answer 9

ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.

Aw, how cute. But I already have 5 cats so don't have the budget for more unless I can find some more SQL consulting gigs. 🙂

My mantra: No loops! No CURSORs! No RBAR! Hoo-uh![/I]
My thought question: Have you ever been told that your query runs too fast?

My advice:
INDEXing a poor-performing query is like putting sugar on cat food. Yeah, it probably tastes better but are you sure you want to eat it?
The path of least resistance can be a slippery slope. Take care that fixing your fixes of fixes doesn't snowball and end up costing you more than fixing the root cause would have in the first place.

Need to UNPIVOT? Why not CROSS APPLY VALUES instead?[/url]
Since random numbers are too important to be left to chance, let's generate some![/url]
Learn to understand recursive CTEs by example.[/url]
[url url=http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/St

Dwain Camps SSC Guru Points: 86948 More actions · Answer 10

Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
Here is one for the do not hire list.
Or it could be the needs much training list.

The quality of the hires will be roughly proportional to the quality of the interview questions.

My mantra: No loops! No CURSORs! No RBAR! Hoo-uh![/I]
My thought question: Have you ever been told that your query runs too fast?

My advice:
INDEXing a poor-performing query is like putting sugar on cat food. Yeah, it probably tastes better but are you sure you want to eat it?
The path of least resistance can be a slippery slope. Take care that fixing your fixes of fixes doesn't snowball and end up costing you more than fixing the root cause would have in the first place.

Need to UNPIVOT? Why not CROSS APPLY VALUES instead?[/url]
Since random numbers are too important to be left to chance, let's generate some![/url]
Learn to understand recursive CTEs by example.[/url]
[url url=http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/St

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 11

SQLRNNR (8/16/2012)
ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.
I like Alfie. He's been a good cat for us. Well, at least his distant twin. Alfie eats breakfast and dinner at my place just about every day. He has been instrumental in the control of the gopher population in my yard.
And due to his service, we keep the dogs locked up during his meal time - just in case.

His meal times consisting of stalking gophers? 😛

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 12

Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
ChrisM@Work (8/16/2012)
Hi folks, this evening I’m collecting Symba from here: http://www.tvaw.org.uk/Adoption.htm. We’ve met already, he’s awesome.
Not sure of the name though. Symba is a bit silly, it’s a misspelling of the lion king's name, Simba. So I’m calling him Ziggy.
Ziggy Wiggy Doodah.
Cute cats. I currently live in an apartment, and don't want to deal with the pet deposit or pay pet rent so I will have to pass on adopting any animals for now.

Had the same problem until a couple of months ago, Lynn. Pet rent? Never heard of that over here.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 13

dwain.c (8/16/2012)
Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
Here is one for the do not hire list.
Or it could be the needs much training list.
The quality of the hires will be roughly proportional to the quality of the interview questions.

It's not often I find anything to disagree with in what you say Dwain so this is an exception: I think your statement is a wishlist - how it should work. The reality is usually quite different.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

Dwain Camps SSC Guru Points: 86948 More actions · Answer 14

ChrisM@Work (8/17/2012)
dwain.c (8/16/2012)
Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
Here is one for the do not hire list.
Or it could be the needs much training list.
The quality of the hires will be roughly proportional to the quality of the interview questions.
It's not often I find anything to disagree with in what you say Dwain so this is an exception: I think your statement is a wishlist - how it should work. The reality is usually quite different.

It wouldn't be the first time that someone has accused me of being an idealist! 😛

I think I'm an idealist by nature but a pragmatist by experience. Sometimes my true nature gets the best of me.

My mantra: No loops! No CURSORs! No RBAR! Hoo-uh![/I]
My thought question: Have you ever been told that your query runs too fast?

My advice:
INDEXing a poor-performing query is like putting sugar on cat food. Yeah, it probably tastes better but are you sure you want to eat it?
The path of least resistance can be a slippery slope. Take care that fixing your fixes of fixes doesn't snowball and end up costing you more than fixing the root cause would have in the first place.

Need to UNPIVOT? Why not CROSS APPLY VALUES instead?[/url]
Since random numbers are too important to be left to chance, let's generate some![/url]
Learn to understand recursive CTEs by example.[/url]
[url url=http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/St

Sean Lange SSC Guru Points: 286590 More actions · Answer 15

dwain.c (8/17/2012)
ChrisM@Work (8/17/2012)
dwain.c (8/16/2012)
Lynn Pettis (8/16/2012)
Here is one for the do not hire list.
Or it could be the needs much training list.
The quality of the hires will be roughly proportional to the quality of the interview questions.
It's not often I find anything to disagree with in what you say Dwain so this is an exception: I think your statement is a wishlist - how it should work. The reality is usually quite different.
It wouldn't be the first time that someone has accused me of being an idealist! 😛
I think I'm an idealist by nature but a pragmatist by experience. Sometimes my true nature gets the best of me.

Reminds me of a joke.

Do you know the difference between an optimist and a pessimist?

Experience. 😛

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Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.

Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.

Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/