Well, we have what Brits would call a jolly nice start to the topic.
Let me put the question back to you.
You have a very legitimate argument there, Grant, and many would applaud you for it.
But that is also the very reason I am putting it forward for discussion:
the amount of info and instruction available is staggering, to the point that many programmers are scared stiff of venturing close.
As I said, dba skills are not easy to acquire, just as programming skills too are not easy for dbas to learn.
The programmers have to contend with a lot of shifting ground catching up on new technologies coming out every day, they find it very easy to sacrifice db best practice. Just because they do not know what it means and how it affects their work.
I believe that programmers, especially freelancers like me, need to embrace basic sql admin skills in order to leverage their output. The reason they have not done so so far is NOT that they can't be bothered, BUT rather that they DO NOT KNOW where to start. They dont know if a simpler, easier way exists for acquiring these skills.
That is why I asked if we could get an abridged lesson covering the important topics in moderate detail.
For the record, in defence of programmers, I have to say that while DBAs are expert at administering and maintaining database servers, few of them would have comparable skills in database design/development, which remains a forte of teh best programmers. So, we are not complete dunderheads in the world of databases.