I'm with Simon here. You stick with what works, what is simplist (KISS principle) and what you can get done quickly. You look for better ways to do things, but you also don't just implement something just because it's faster. Mostly because faster isn't always true. We don't operate on a linear scale, but rather a multi-dimensional one. The stuff that we do might work well for some queries/situations, and not others. It works at some data volumes, but not others.
You look for better techniques and learn how to use them, but you carefully change what you know works well and is simple only when you have good reasons.
Simple techniques does not imply shoddy techniques. Basics are not wrong, they are just of less complexity.
I was just thinking about what and how to post a response to this, but Steve you just covered everything I was going to say. I follow the 'KISS principle', I know if I use more complex coding techniques, I'll be the one that 'always' has to maintain it.
I've been working with SQL for over 10 years, am I an 'expert'? I don't think so, I know there is a lot I don't know. I probably wouldn't rate myself to high on a scale of 1 to 10, maybe a 6. Maybe just being to modest.:-)
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we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us
Don't fear failure, fear regret.