Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    SQLRNNR (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Sean Lange (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/16/2012)


    Wow... recent interview of a Web Developer interviewee just set a new record. Interviewee claimed 14 years experience in SQL (mostly Oracle) and 5 years recent experience with SQL Server... and he couldn't name the function to get the current date and time in either. The resume also had on it that he had created stored procedures but then admitted that he never really created any... he just supposedly fixed them.

    It was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted with anyone for any job.

    Jeff how dare you question somebody about the contents of their resume to see if it is actually true. What is this world coming to?? At least you didn't have to waste much time.

    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    Ok, I did some digging and think I finally know that answer:

    ROLEX

    No, no, it is clearly fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    Nah

    gettime:

    Select fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    goto gettime

    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

  • Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    dwain.c (10/17/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    I really hate automatic reboots of desktops because of "security patches". If I come in and it tells me I need to reboot, fine. I can note everything I have open and make sure I can get back to that setup after the reboot. With an automatic reboot, everything is just gone. It is all saved, but closed and I have to remember what I had open. Bah!

    I've turned off the automatic updates for just that reason. Annoying at best, disastrous at worst.

    Wiindows can remind me and then I do it at my leisure.

    I've done it twice. Company-wide settings override it.

    Yes of course. There is that.

    I was talking about at home where I'm in control.


    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

  • SQLRNNR (10/17/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    SQLRNNR (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Sean Lange (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/16/2012)


    Wow... recent interview of a Web Developer interviewee just set a new record. Interviewee claimed 14 years experience in SQL (mostly Oracle) and 5 years recent experience with SQL Server... and he couldn't name the function to get the current date and time in either. The resume also had on it that he had created stored procedures but then admitted that he never really created any... he just supposedly fixed them.

    It was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted with anyone for any job.

    Jeff how dare you question somebody about the contents of their resume to see if it is actually true. What is this world coming to?? At least you didn't have to waste much time.

    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    Ok, I did some digging and think I finally know that answer:

    ROLEX

    No, no, it is clearly fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    Nah

    gettime:

    Select fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    goto gettime

    Have you ever heard of ISO standards? There are books on the subject or perhaps you can't read.

    SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS JC

    [/rant]


    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.c (10/17/2012)


    SQLRNNR (10/17/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    SQLRNNR (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Sean Lange (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/16/2012)


    Wow... recent interview of a Web Developer interviewee just set a new record. Interviewee claimed 14 years experience in SQL (mostly Oracle) and 5 years recent experience with SQL Server... and he couldn't name the function to get the current date and time in either. The resume also had on it that he had created stored procedures but then admitted that he never really created any... he just supposedly fixed them.

    It was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted with anyone for any job.

    Jeff how dare you question somebody about the contents of their resume to see if it is actually true. What is this world coming to?? At least you didn't have to waste much time.

    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    Ok, I did some digging and think I finally know that answer:

    ROLEX

    No, no, it is clearly fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    Nah

    gettime:

    Select fn_GetTheCurrentDateAndTimeThroughT-SQL(Current)

    goto gettime

    Have you ever heard of ISO standards? There are books on the subject or perhaps you can't read.

    SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS JC

    [/rant]

    Nope can't read. I don't believe in RIF.

    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

  • Brandie Tarvin (10/17/2012)


    It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say. Why do you want to know what I know I know? It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say.

    Young fella, do you even know what a chicken hawk is?

    It's a book about helicopters 😉


    [font="Arial"]Low-hanging fruit picker and defender of the moggies[/font]

    For better assistance in answering your questions, please read this[/url].


    Understanding and using APPLY, (I)[/url] and (II)[/url] Paul White[/url]

    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins[/url] / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url] Jeff Moden[/url]

  • Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    dwain.c (10/17/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    I really hate automatic reboots of desktops because of "security patches". If I come in and it tells me I need to reboot, fine. I can note everything I have open and make sure I can get back to that setup after the reboot. With an automatic reboot, everything is just gone. It is all saved, but closed and I have to remember what I had open. Bah!

    I've turned off the automatic updates for just that reason. Annoying at best, disastrous at worst.

    Wiindows can remind me and then I do it at my leisure.

    I've done it twice. Company-wide settings override it.

    I had the same issue at my previous company.

    I ended up adding NET STOP "Automatic Updates" at startup.

    It worked.

    -- Gianluca Sartori

  • dwain.c (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Sean Lange (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/16/2012)


    Wow... recent interview of a Web Developer interviewee just set a new record. Interviewee claimed 14 years experience in SQL (mostly Oracle) and 5 years recent experience with SQL Server... and he couldn't name the function to get the current date and time in either. The resume also had on it that he had created stored procedures but then admitted that he never really created any... he just supposedly fixed them.

    It was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted with anyone for any job.

    Jeff how dare you question somebody about the contents of their resume to see if it is actually true. What is this world coming to?? At least you didn't have to waste much time.

    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    I think he got a job already: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1373679-1292-1.aspx

    Personally I think that guy made a bad choice, but hey, that's up to him

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1372851-9-1.aspx

    24/7 on call as a complete novice with no support. Um, yeah....

    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
  • Gianluca Sartori (10/18/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    dwain.c (10/17/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    I really hate automatic reboots of desktops because of "security patches". If I come in and it tells me I need to reboot, fine. I can note everything I have open and make sure I can get back to that setup after the reboot. With an automatic reboot, everything is just gone. It is all saved, but closed and I have to remember what I had open. Bah!

    I've turned off the automatic updates for just that reason. Annoying at best, disastrous at worst.

    Wiindows can remind me and then I do it at my leisure.

    I've done it twice. Company-wide settings override it.

    I had the same issue at my previous company.

    I ended up adding NET STOP "Automatic Updates" at startup.

    It worked.

    Hmmm... Maybe I'll give that a try. Thanks!

    --------------------------------------
    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

  • Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    Brandie Tarvin (10/17/2012)


    It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say. Why do you want to know what I know I know? It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say.

    Young fella, do you even know what a chicken hawk is?

    As long as I know you know, it doesn't matter if you know you know. You knowing I know you know should satisfy you since if I know you know, even if I know you don't know you know, you get the job, you know?

    But also don't forget that:- We know there are known knowns: there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns: that is to say we know there are things we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know

    -------------------------------Posting Data Etiquette - Jeff Moden [/url]Smart way to ask a question
    There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand (the world). There is no such thing as a dumb question. ― Carl Sagan
    I would never join a club that would allow me as a member - Groucho Marx

  • Stuart Davies (10/18/2012)


    Stefan Krzywicki (10/17/2012)


    Brandie Tarvin (10/17/2012)


    It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say. Why do you want to know what I know I know? It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say.

    Young fella, do you even know what a chicken hawk is?

    As long as I know you know, it doesn't matter if you know you know. You knowing I know you know should satisfy you since if I know you know, even if I know you don't know you know, you get the job, you know?

    But also don't forget that:- We know there are known knowns: there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns: that is to say we know there are things we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know

    Brilliant!

    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.

  • GilaMonster (10/18/2012)


    Personally I think that guy made a bad choice, but hey, that's up to him

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1372851-9-1.aspx

    24/7 on call as a complete novice with no support. Um, yeah....

    Not stressful at all. And they're only going to call him 3 times a year.

    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.

  • Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Sean Lange (10/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/16/2012)


    Wow... recent interview of a Web Developer interviewee just set a new record. Interviewee claimed 14 years experience in SQL (mostly Oracle) and 5 years recent experience with SQL Server... and he couldn't name the function to get the current date and time in either. The resume also had on it that he had created stored procedures but then admitted that he never really created any... he just supposedly fixed them.

    It was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted with anyone for any job.

    Jeff how dare you question somebody about the contents of their resume to see if it is actually true. What is this world coming to?? At least you didn't have to waste much time.

    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    With you, I could only cringe when you get to a real question.:-D

    Wish my trip to Michigan wasn't so short this year - would have liked to have time to do a 12 oz curl with you.

  • Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    I think the worst part of that statement is the fact that he claims to be a database designer but can't explain why he made the choices he made (RE: using identity).

    Aren't people at least supposed to know why they make the choices they do?

    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.

  • ChrisM@home (10/18/2012)


    Brandie Tarvin (10/17/2012)


    It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say. Why do you want to know what I know I know? It's a disgrace, a disgrace I say.

    Young fella, do you even know what a chicken hawk is?

    It's a book about helicopters 😉

    LOL that was a great and interesting book.

    _______________________________________________________________

    Need help? Help us help you.

    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/

  • Brandie Tarvin (10/18/2012)


    Jeff Moden (10/17/2012)


    Jeez!!! I just went through interviewing another candidate. Resume says that, in the last 5 years, he designed databases, spent time normalizing/denormalizing depending on whether or not is was a reporting database or not, wrote stored procedures and triggers, but couldn't define what normalization is, couldn't explain why he used IDENTITY columns as PK's, insisted that you don't need a unique column on reference tables (enum tables, etc), and adds to the recent collection of "experts" that don't know the name of the function in SQL Server to get the current date and time through T-SQL.

    I think the worst part of that statement is the fact that he claims to be a database designer but can't explain why he made the choices he made (RE: using identity).

    Aren't people at least supposed to know why they make the choices they do?

    "The dice rolled a 4, so I used an identity column."

    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

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