Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Hugo Kornelis SSC Guru Points: 64790 More actions · Answer 1

Jeff Moden - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:49 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 3:01 PM
Lowell - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:32 PM
Sean Lange - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:50 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:37 PM
Luis Cazares - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:32 PM
I was looking for a reference to reply on a thread and found this article: https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.htm
It had exactly what I was looking for and the style seemed familiar. When googling the first sentence, it all became clear. I wonder what percentage of the entries on that blog are original.
Haha. I just checked...
Here is the actual link. https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.html
same guy, this link
https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sql-cursor-example.html
is a copy of this one:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/cursor.aspx
Pretty sure you guys are right, nothing on his blocg is his own creations.
Wow
I left the blog owner a message on that link. I will be following through with Google if he doesn't not comply in the reasonable time that I've given him. I also covered the blatant plagiarism of his other posts and gave him an ultimatum there, as well.
Thanks for bringing this up on the thread.

Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.

Hugo Kornelis, SQL Server/Data Platform MVP (2006-2016)
Visit my SQL Server blog: https://sqlserverfast.com/blog/
SQL Server Execution Plan Reference: https://sqlserverfast.com/epr/

Brandie Tarvin SSC Guru Points: 173068 More actions · Answer 2

Sigh. So my morning starts off with a Dev asking me to move code that includes some interesting data type definitions... FLOAT (without scale and precision) and VARCHAR(04) or VARCHAR(025). Seriously? Who puts a zero before the VARCHAR number?

Anyone else ever see this sort of thing? Is telling the Dev to stop this and do it correctly just me overreacting?

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.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

Brandie Tarvin - Thursday, March 16, 2017 5:16 AM
Sigh. So my morning starts off with a Dev asking me to move code that includes some interesting data type definitions... FLOAT (without scale and precision)

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think I've ever used FLOAT with its precision (it doesn't have a scale). I just let it be the default (which is FLOAT(53))

The varchar lengths look odd.

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

jasona.work SSC Guru Points: 50117 More actions · Answer 4

Hugo Kornelis - Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:47 AM
Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.

I don't blog, but I'd say that yes, it is worth taking the effort to try to get the post / blog pulled down.
Essentially, whoever put that up plagiarized other peoples work, and most likely in some way profited from it (even if only getting a job based off "their" work on said blog.)
You need to defend your "brand."

I'll be the first to admit, I've got scripts that I found when working to resolve an issue, that I've since folded, spindled, mutilated, and modified that I will then occasionally post here if it seems like it will help someone else out. BUT I make sure to try to note that I am not the original author of the script. If I can recall where it came from, I attribute it to that person, if I can't, I make a point of stating "I found this some time ago, but I don't recall where." It's not perfect, but at least I'm admitting it's not mine.

This guy though?
No indication that he's not the original author.

And that's bad.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004362 More actions · Answer 5

Hugo Kornelis - Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:47 AM
Jeff Moden - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:49 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 3:01 PM
Lowell - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:32 PM
Sean Lange - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:50 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:37 PM
Luis Cazares - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:32 PM
I was looking for a reference to reply on a thread and found this article: https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.htm
It had exactly what I was looking for and the style seemed familiar. When googling the first sentence, it all became clear. I wonder what percentage of the entries on that blog are original.
Haha. I just checked...
Here is the actual link. https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.html
same guy, this link
https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sql-cursor-example.html
is a copy of this one:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/cursor.aspx
Pretty sure you guys are right, nothing on his blocg is his own creations.
Wow
I left the blog owner a message on that link. I will be following through with Google if he doesn't not comply in the reasonable time that I've given him. I also covered the blatant plagiarism of his other posts and gave him an ultimatum there, as well.
Thanks for bringing this up on the thread.
Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.

Of course, I saw the date. Dates don't matter on something like this. The act does and the act was flat out wrong.

--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)

Ed Wagner SSC Guru Points: 287026 More actions · Answer 6

Jeff Moden - Thursday, March 16, 2017 6:47 AM
Hugo Kornelis - Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:47 AM
Jeff Moden - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:49 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 3:01 PM
Lowell - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:32 PM
Sean Lange - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:50 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:37 PM
Luis Cazares - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:32 PM
I was looking for a reference to reply on a thread and found this article: https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.htm
It had exactly what I was looking for and the style seemed familiar. When googling the first sentence, it all became clear. I wonder what percentage of the entries on that blog are original.
Haha. I just checked...
Here is the actual link. https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.html
same guy, this link
https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sql-cursor-example.html
is a copy of this one:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/cursor.aspx
Pretty sure you guys are right, nothing on his blocg is his own creations.
Wow
I left the blog owner a message on that link. I will be following through with Google if he doesn't not comply in the reasonable time that I've given him. I also covered the blatant plagiarism of his other posts and gave him an ultimatum there, as well.
Thanks for bringing this up on the thread.
Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.
Of course, I saw the date. Dates don't matter on something like this. The act does and the act was flat out wrong.

Agreed. Plagiarism wasn't acceptable when I was in school and that was, let's just say, a while ago. The internet has allowed unscrupulous people to take plagiarism to a whole new level, taking credit for stuff they didn't do and don't understand. Maybe it's my age showing, but I don't think it's ever acceptable.

Tally Tables - Performance Personified
String Splitting with True Performance
Best practices on how to ask questions

Sean Lange SSC Guru Points: 286590 More actions · Answer 7

Ed Wagner - Thursday, March 16, 2017 7:56 AM
Jeff Moden - Thursday, March 16, 2017 6:47 AM
Hugo Kornelis - Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:47 AM
Jeff Moden - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:49 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 3:01 PM
Lowell - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:32 PM
Sean Lange - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:50 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:37 PM
Luis Cazares - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:32 PM
I was looking for a reference to reply on a thread and found this article: https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.htm
It had exactly what I was looking for and the style seemed familiar. When googling the first sentence, it all became clear. I wonder what percentage of the entries on that blog are original.
Haha. I just checked...
Here is the actual link. https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.html
same guy, this link
https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sql-cursor-example.html
is a copy of this one:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/cursor.aspx
Pretty sure you guys are right, nothing on his blocg is his own creations.
Wow
I left the blog owner a message on that link. I will be following through with Google if he doesn't not comply in the reasonable time that I've given him. I also covered the blatant plagiarism of his other posts and gave him an ultimatum there, as well.
Thanks for bringing this up on the thread.
Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.
Of course, I saw the date. Dates don't matter on something like this. The act does and the act was flat out wrong.
Agreed. Plagiarism wasn't acceptable when I was in school and that was, let's just say, a while ago. The internet has allowed unscrupulous people to take plagiarism to a whole new level, taking credit for stuff they didn't do and don't understand. Maybe it's my age showing, but I don't think it's ever acceptable.

It seems that today the comments left by Luis and myself have been removed. I suspect that means the "blogger" is still active and has access since the comments were removed. I tried to add a new one today but they also seem to have removed the captcha so you can't complete it to post new comments. I suspect that whole blog will be disappearing in the somewhat near future.

_______________________________________________________________

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/

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

Ed Wagner - Thursday, March 16, 2017 7:56 AM
Jeff Moden - Thursday, March 16, 2017 6:47 AM
Hugo Kornelis - Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:47 AM
Jeff Moden - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:49 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 3:01 PM
Lowell - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:32 PM
Sean Lange - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:50 PM
Alan.B - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:37 PM
Luis Cazares - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:32 PM
I was looking for a reference to reply on a thread and found this article: https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.htm
It had exactly what I was looking for and the style seemed familiar. When googling the first sentence, it all became clear. I wonder what percentage of the entries on that blog are original.
Haha. I just checked...
Here is the actual link. https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/08/definition-of-pseudo-cursor_09.html
same guy, this link
https://narenin.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sql-cursor-example.html
is a copy of this one:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/cursor.aspx
Pretty sure you guys are right, nothing on his blocg is his own creations.
Wow
I left the blog owner a message on that link. I will be following through with Google if he doesn't not comply in the reasonable time that I've given him. I also covered the blatant plagiarism of his other posts and gave him an ultimatum there, as well.
Thanks for bringing this up on the thread.
Did you see the data at the top of the post? It says that the blog was written in 2011. I'm not sure if it makes sense to waste any energy on such an old post.
Of course, I saw the date. Dates don't matter on something like this. The act does and the act was flat out wrong.
Agreed. Plagiarism wasn't acceptable when I was in school and that was, let's just say, a while ago. The internet has allowed unscrupulous people to take plagiarism to a whole new level, taking credit for stuff they didn't do and don't understand. Maybe it's my age showing, but I don't think it's ever acceptable.

I have to agree. I have found scripts on the internet and used them as well. If I modify them I try to make sure I have annotated the original source if I can remember who or where I got it.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 9

I am actually thinking SS is different people. Person is getting snarky now, that isn't normal.

Beatrix Kiddo SSC-Dedicated Points: 32407 More actions · Answer 10

David Burrows - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 10:19 AM
Beatrix Kiddo - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:14 AM
In other news, does anybody know a workaround to the issue of not being able to query otherFacsimileTelephoneNumber from AD through a linked server in SQL Server? I can get loads of other attributes (surname, department, job title etc) but unfortunately not this one (and Googling suggests there's probably no way round). It doesn't sound very important in 2017 I realise, but my company stores a different value in that field and I need to get it out.
Thanks.
Here's the error message:
Msg 7346, Level 16, State 2, Line 2
Cannot get the data of the row from the OLE DB provider "ADSDSOObject" for linked server "xxxxxx". Could not convert the data value due to reasons other than sign mismatch or overflow.
We do not populate that field so my query just returns nulls.
I suspect you may have a container with data that is incompatible.
I suggest you run the query without that field and then with, to find the container causing the problem and get someone to find out what is in the field in AD, which may give you the cause of the error.

Thank you. I've checked the contents of AD and it's just a simple 5 digit code in that field. I suspect I'm not going to have any luck with this one, because I see a few references online to it being a known issue.

With scripts I've taken from the internet, I tend to add a commented-out line stating who wrote it/where I found it.

David Burrows SSC Guru Points: 65142 More actions · Answer 11

Beatrix Kiddo - Thursday, March 16, 2017 8:30 AM
David Burrows - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 10:19 AM
Beatrix Kiddo - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:14 AM
In other news, does anybody know a workaround to the issue of not being able to query otherFacsimileTelephoneNumber from AD through a linked server in SQL Server? I can get loads of other attributes (surname, department, job title etc) but unfortunately not this one (and Googling suggests there's probably no way round). It doesn't sound very important in 2017 I realise, but my company stores a different value in that field and I need to get it out.
Thanks.
Here's the error message:
Msg 7346, Level 16, State 2, Line 2
Cannot get the data of the row from the OLE DB provider "ADSDSOObject" for linked server "xxxxxx". Could not convert the data value due to reasons other than sign mismatch or overflow.
We do not populate that field so my query just returns nulls.
I suspect you may have a container with data that is incompatible.
I suggest you run the query without that field and then with, to find the container causing the problem and get someone to find out what is in the field in AD, which may give you the cause of the error.
Thank you. I've checked the contents of AD and it's just a simple 5 digit code in that field. I suspect I'm not going to have any luck with this one, because I see a few references online to it being a known issue.
With scripts I've taken from the internet, I tend to add a commented-out line stating who wrote it/where I found it.

After further research I don't think you can access that attribute as it is multi value which the driver cannot handle

Far away is close at hand in the images of elsewhere.
Anon.

JustMarie SSCertifiable Points: 7771 More actions · Answer 12

drew.allen - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 10:15 AM
I applied for a job yesterday, and they sent me a SQL test to take. I thought all of the questions were poorly worded, but one in particular was very badly worded. It also used a data type that is invalid in SQL Server (unless they've introduced it in 2016) INT(2). In my answer, I included my thoughts about how poorly worded it was. I wonder if will help or hurt me getting the job.
Drew

I've had some poor SQL tests and some really good ones. One of the poor ones wanted all the code to be 'properly formatted'. Um. I'm not going to sit in a conference room and format my code when there's perfectly good free formatters out there (which I couldn't access) to do the job for me. And I explained that later.

The INT(2) looks like a MySQL data type which could explain why the test was the way it was. They may have needed someone with SOME experience to write up a test and grabbed the guy who kind of knows MySQL.

So it might help that you were able to explain the reasons why the questions weren't valid. It shows you know SQL.

JustMarie SSCertifiable Points: 7771 More actions · Answer 13

Lynn Pettis - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:39 AM
Sorry, I'm not sorry, for the snide remark to Mr. Celko that I just made.

Link or it didn't happen. 😎

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 14

JustMarie - Thursday, March 16, 2017 9:20 AM
Lynn Pettis - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:39 AM
Sorry, I'm not sorry, for the snide remark to Mr. Celko that I just made.
Link or it didn't happen. 😎

Does that mean a tree falling makes no sound if no one is there to hear it?

drew.allen SSC Guru Points: 76987 More actions · Answer 15

JustMarie - Thursday, March 16, 2017 9:19 AM
drew.allen - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 10:15 AM
I applied for a job yesterday, and they sent me a SQL test to take. I thought all of the questions were poorly worded, but one in particular was very badly worded. It also used a data type that is invalid in SQL Server (unless they've introduced it in 2016) INT(2). In my answer, I included my thoughts about how poorly worded it was. I wonder if will help or hurt me getting the job.
Drew
I've had some poor SQL tests and some really good ones. One of the poor ones wanted all the code to be 'properly formatted'. Um. I'm not going to sit in a conference room and format my code when there's perfectly good free formatters out there (which I couldn't access) to do the job for me. And I explained that later.
The INT(2) looks like a MySQL data type which could explain why the test was the way it was. They may have needed someone with SOME experience to write up a test and grabbed the guy who kind of knows MySQL.
So it might help that you were able to explain the reasons why the questions weren't valid. It shows you know SQL.

I guess they liked my answers, because they called back about my availability for an interview.

Drew

J. Drew Allen
Business Intelligence Analyst
Philadelphia, PA