Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • It was a good faith effort, but based on the "Oh boy, I gave this 5 stars, my life is better" responses that were in the discussion in a few points, I think abrupt is the right way to respond to advice this bad. I was reading it and going "eh, I wouldn't do it that way" till I hit #11. I immediately went to the discussion, had to post, regardless of the fact that Gail already had and did a better job.

    In my haste I even missed things, like using a WHILE loop as a cure for cursors... when will that die?

    "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

  • Grant Fritchey (8/10/2009)


    In my haste I even missed things, like using a WHILE loop as a cure for cursors... when will that die?

    Well, they are a cure for cursors. The fact that they perform no better than cursors is something that far too many people still miss. Wasn't there one in the audience last year at PASS (my dirty dozen presentation) ? Or am I remembering a different time I did that presentation?

    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
  • GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    Grant Fritchey (8/10/2009)


    In my haste I even missed things, like using a WHILE loop as a cure for cursors... when will that die?

    Well, they are a cure for cursors. The fact that they perform no better than cursors is something that far too many people still miss. Wasn't there one in the audience last year at PASS (my dirty dozen presentation) ? Or am I remembering a different time I did that presentation?

    Yeah, there was. He was pretty insistent too.

    I meant cure as in, not give the patient a different form of terminal cancer, but as in, remove the cancer.

    "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

  • Grant Fritchey (8/10/2009)


    I meant cure as in, not give the patient a different form of terminal cancer, but as in, remove the cancer.

    RotFL

    Good one.

    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
  • GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    Gianluca Sartori (8/10/2009)


    Thanks Gail! I'm never patient when it's time to learn something new, especially from you!

    Please note I'm asking for an article review, either a technical review or comments on language, phrasing, easy of reading/comprehension. If you just want an early copy to read, I'm happy to send one.

    I would be happy to provide whatever technical review I can, Gail.

    [font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
    Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc.
    [/font]
    [font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]

  • Next time that guy writes an article, he will surely think twice, Maybe three times before posting it... All of you ripped him apart I guess... Poor guy...

    -Roy

  • GilaMonster (8/8/2009)


    Paul White (8/8/2009)


    GilaMonster (8/7/2009)


    Anyone really know their way around replication?

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic766992-146-1.aspx

    Could the OP have made any less effort in that thread?

    It's possible, difficult, but possible.

    Here's another very terse question. I think I'm going to start matching the detail of answers to the detail of questions... Will probably backfire though.

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic767374-149-1.aspx

    Suggestions for "very terse answers" -

    Unplug it.

    Quit your job.

    Run. Now.

    Ask Jeff.

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

  • GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    Gianluca Sartori (8/10/2009)


    Thanks Gail! I'm never patient when it's time to learn something new, especially from you!

    Please note I'm asking for an article review, either a technical review or comments on language, phrasing, easy of reading/comprehension. If you just want an early copy to read, I'm happy to send one.

    I'm in then, on non-technical stuff. 😀

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

  • Gianluca: English is not my first language, so I'm sure any comment from me won't be valuable on the language side.

    Jon: You're crazy, your English is better than mine most of the time.

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    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 (8/10/2009)


    Suggestions for "very terse answers" -

    Unplug it.

    Quit your job.

    Run. Now.

    Ask Jeff.

    I've several times been tempted, when reading a really long question that's of the form 'Is it possible...' to simply reply 'Yes' and leave it at that.

    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
  • jcrawf02 (8/10/2009)


    GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    Gianluca Sartori (8/10/2009)


    Thanks Gail! I'm never patient when it's time to learn something new, especially from you!

    Please note I'm asking for an article review, either a technical review or comments on language, phrasing, easy of reading/comprehension. If you just want an early copy to read, I'm happy to send one.

    I'm in then, on non-technical stuff. 😀

    That should be enough people then. Won't be done this week. Article's only about half-done.

    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
  • GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    GSquared (8/10/2009)


    I think a few of the responses were a bit abrupt (not from the usual crowd on The Thread). The guy obviously put some work into it, just not enough.

    I was a bit more abrupt in the first draft. Went back and edited it a bit.

    It's well written, the english is good, there are no spelling mistakes that I could see. It's just a pity that some of the advice is so completely incorrect.

    Anyone fancy writing an article 'Advice for new authors' that includes sections on peer review and technical editing? I've done a couple pieces so far that were subject to a tech-edit and it's amazing how much another person will pick up even if they're not an indepth expert on the topic.

    Yours was fine. Detailed and specific, and necessary.

    There were, however, a few that simply said things like, "Yeah, very weak article. Nothing in here that good developers don't already know, plus a number of errors and just plain bad advice." Didn't go beyond that. Those are the ones I'm refering to as "abrupt". No advice, no specifics, just "it sucked" and nothing more.

    - 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

  • Paul White (8/10/2009)


    I clearly need to work on my 'being abrupt' skills :blink:

    I tried quite hard...

    I'm quite sure you can become more abrupt with a little practice. It's not that hard a skill to get points in. ... um ... or maybe I play too many RPGs.

    - 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

  • Grant Fritchey (8/10/2009)


    It was a good faith effort, but based on the "Oh boy, I gave this 5 stars, my life is better" responses that were in the discussion in a few points, I think abrupt is the right way to respond to advice this bad. I was reading it and going "eh, I wouldn't do it that way" till I hit #11. I immediately went to the discussion, had to post, regardless of the fact that Gail already had and did a better job.

    In my haste I even missed things, like using a WHILE loop as a cure for cursors... when will that die?

    Yeah, a few of the responses were darn near sycophantic, too. Both extremes are too much.

    - 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

  • GilaMonster (8/10/2009)


    jcrawf02 (8/10/2009)


    Suggestions for "very terse answers" -

    Unplug it.

    Quit your job.

    Run. Now.

    Ask Jeff.

    I've several times been tempted, when reading a really long question that's of the form 'Is it possible...' to simply reply 'Yes' and leave it at that.

    And I've gone beyond temptation and actually done exactly that. I've got a few posts that are simply "Yep", or "Nope", depending on the question.

    - 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

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