Microsoft Action Pack Subscription

One of the biggest hurdles people new to the IT field face is getting access to all the software they need so they can learn. This new program from Microsoft offers a TON of software for under $400. Caveats apply (don't they always?) but it's worth the 5 minutes to read what it takes.

Regular Expression Library

This isn't a SQL site nor can you easily do regular expressions from SQL. That said, sometimes regular expressions are EXACTLY what you need to solve a problem. The downside? They're tricky! This is a great resource to pass on to your development team.

Typed Data Objects

This is a tool to generate C# code based on a sql script. Source code is also available for download. It's free! One caveat is that the site is in Italian.

What is the difference between SET and SELECT?

Both SET and SELECT can be used to assign values to variables. But when to or when not to use SET or SELECT? Or does it matter? This articles shows you how SET and SELECT are different in various scenarios, along with examples. You will also find a test script that you can run, to identify the performance differences between SET and SELECT

SQL Server Web Data Administrator

The Web Data Administrator is a utility program implemented in ASP.NET that enables you to easily manage your SQL Server data wherever you are. Using its built-in features, you can do the following from Internet Explorer or your favorite Web browser:

Create and edit databases in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE)
Perform ad-hoc queries against databases and save them to your file system
Export and import database schema and data

Embarcadero ER/Studio and DT/Studio Named Finalists for JOLT Product E

Press release about Embarcadero products being named finalists in the annual Jolt awards sponsored by Software Development magazine.

Take a Break with Pingu

It's not SQL Server related, but take a break and see how you do. The highest I've seen so far is 1602. If you beat it send a screen shot (small, please) to sjones@sqlservercentral.com

Quest Releases TOAD for SQL - Freeware!

Quest Software has recently released TOAD for SQL Server, a freeware version of its highly popular Oracle tool - TOAD

Contest!

We've run contests from time to time over the past couple years and had a lot of fun doing it. This time we're trying something new, partnering with Red Gate. Lots of good prizes on this one!

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Performance Guide

Analysis Services is slowly gaining in popularity and many of you might get drawn into setting up a server or developing a system based on this technology. Microsoft has released a performance guide to help you take performance into consideration from the beginning.