It’s so easy to knock Microsoft. Everybody does it, ourselves included, and with good reason. And it’s even easier to knock Bill Gates. So just for a change, on Bill’s last day at Microsoft, today Friday 27th June 2008, we thought we’d write something positive and congratulatory about him.
Born 28th October 1955, 52 year […]

A developer that doesn’t get excited about new software features is like a dog that doesn’t get excited about a new Frisbee. DBAs, on the other hand, can be excitable in a slightly more subdued manner, but unlike developers, they don’t install and play with new software on their servers as soon as the beta […]

If you’ve not had a play with the new features inside SQL Server 2008, then now’s a good time to give it a go.
Microsoft has just this month released SQL Server 2008 Release Candidate Zero (RC0) to the public and you can download the 180 day version from here:
Download SQL Server 2008 RCO.
If you’re […]

Programmers and coffee have had a long-term faithful relationship since computing first began and I’m no exception to this love affair.
Personally, I can’t open a jar or bag of coffee without a good inhalation of the smell. Just walking past a cafe or even seeing a cup of coffee is enough to make me […]

A report commissioned by the UK’s Prime Minister, following what the London Times described as a “growing moral panic” towards violent video games, has concluded that the harm they can cause justifies them carrying health warnings, not dissimilar to those on cigarette packets.
The whole point of video games is that they are supposed to […]

We have recently become affiliates of SQL Server DVD with database expert Kalen Delaney. Kalen has put her name and guru-level knowledge to a series of training videos on the internals of SQL Server and we have been given special permission to spread the word about these great products.
The first DVD, Lesson 1, covers […]

Clippy says “I’ve noticed that you’re stressed out by the Microsoft Office Assistant. Would you like me to:

Administer a measured dose of Temazepam
Administer a measured dose of Morphine
Automatically report this to your manager
Book you in for a health check up
Change the Office Assistant to a mini Steve Ballmer?”

So, Microsoft has applied for a patent […]

Microsoft has just released a new February CTP for SQL Server 2008! With Windows Server 2008 collation support, this CTP is now available in ten different languages.
The latest feature improvements include SPARSE COLUMNS, which is a more efficient way for empty data, or NULL values, to consume no physical storage space.
Also of interest are […]

Last night we belatedly celebrated SQL Server Club’s first birthday. I can’t believe it’s now been going for over a year! Well, any excuse for a party and nearly three weeks after the official birthday when we first launched the web site last year, we finally cracked open some bubbly.

We toasted our community with champagne, […]

Just to clear up a few dates…
The Marketing Launch
Microsoft are launching SQL Server 2008 on 27th February in Los Angeles, but this is purely a marketing exercise to tell the world about SQL Server 2008, Windows 2008 and Visual Studio 2008.
This event is taking place for all three products as they will be […]

Registration for the second SQLBits conference is now open and promises to be a day jam-packed with SQL Server events. The session list has also been announced (see below).
It takes place on 1st March 2008 in Birmingham, UK, so if you want to attend, please register quickly to avoid disappointment. Simply fill in your details […]

We developers are a friendly bunch, always keen to share our skills. It’s in the nature of the engineers to show others how things work and show off their deep understanding to their peer group for recognition and appreciation. You only have to search the web for a SQL Server error message or a coding […]

New Year’s Eve Norb-style naturally revolves around real ale, a good pub atmosphere and fireworks. What better way to see in the New Year than a trip to London to combine beer and sightseeing?
We started off our trip to London on an early train, so we had plenty of time to ride the tube to […]

Toshiba HD-A3 720p/1080i HD DVD Player
This slick, black and glossy gadget stands less than two and a half inches tall and is a fine attraction in any lounge. This Tosh boasts enhanced HD DVD features, including picture-in-picture video, audio commentary, and Web-enabled network capabilities.

With an Ethernet port built-in this device connects to […]

Have you noticed how everybody has gadgets these days and not just us programmer types? Even my father who’s just turned 70 has a mobile phone. He often sends me text messages and email is now our main mode of communication. Ok, so he hasn’t got an MP3 player, but he’s just purchased a huge […]