"I keep hoping that the efforts of sites like SQLServerCentral and events like SQL Saturday will change that, but it feels like we've barely made a dent in our profession."
I don't know about the profession as a whole, but I know personally I've learned a tremendous amount perusing SSC and attending SQL Saturday in DC this year so keep it up, it is making a difference.
There are always people in any line of work who will do just enough to get by and sadly this seems to be more rule than exception.
With regard to SQL Server in particular, it can get REAL overwhelming because there are so many pieces and parts. I sometimes feel like some wag dumped out a few dozen 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles on the floor, mixed up all the pieces and took away all the pictures, then set a bunch of timebombs around the room ready to explode if they're put together wrong. It's particularly difficult for us "Accidental DBAs" because we usually have other completely unrelated demands on our time.
But I for one am grateful for this site and the other resources like SQL Saturday, PASS, etc., that are out there.
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Just my $0.02 from over here in the cheap seats of the peanut gallery - please adjust for inflation and/or your local currency.