Learning Is Challenging, So, Forgive Yourself

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Learning Is Challenging, So, Forgive Yourself

Grant Fritchey

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October 16, 2021 at 12:31 am

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Learning Is Challenging, So, Forgive Yourself
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1003861 More actions · Answer 1

Way to go, Grant! I'm still learning new stuff about T-SQL and SQL Server. 🙂

And good article although I do have a couple of black eyes from beating myself up about learning certain things. No concussions yet though. 😀

On thePostGre SQL thing, I took a look at the temporal functions to try to help someone out. Man... was I surprised! SQL <> SQL. And you've really got to read the documentation. For example, at first glance, DATEDIFF looks familiar but the documentation says it's not. It also has other functions that we might use DATEDIFF for in T-SQL.

The cool part is that if you know T-SQL and how to do things with the temporal functions of T-SQL, you can read the documentation in Postgre SQL and have an instant understand once you realize that your gonna have to use a different function, It really helps to already know what to look for.

I haven't actually had the chance to actually write any working code. I learned just enough to help someone else out that didn't have the advantage of knowing what needed to be done to get what they wanted.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398679 More actions · Answer 2

Thanks Jeff.

Yeah, I'm still at "barely functional" when it comes to PostgreSQL. I made a few fast leaps and then I just haven't been able to carve out time to go beyond "SELECT *" and "CREATE TABLE" stage. I think I might start writing a series of articles on it, just to give me some motivation (and let the boss carve out some time) to get learning more. It's a challenge, but one I'm kind of excited by.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1003861 More actions · Answer 3

I'm having the same problem time-wise. As the old saying goes, "So say we all". 😀

I also have to admit there's great incentive in learning something new if you MUST use it (not my case... at least not yet) or you commit to writing articles about something. 😀

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Rod at work SSC-Dedicated Points: 33900 More actions · Answer 4

I'm one of those to push myself to learn. I'm often disappointed with myself for not learning more, faster. I think I'm concerned that if I don't push myself, then I'll just end up streaming 6 hours of whatever each day. Thank you for reminding me that I can only learn so fast and not beating myself up for not picking it all up the first day.

Kindest Regards, Rod Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Stephen Rybacki Hall of Fame Points: 3402 More actions · Answer 5

My personal challenge workwise is to learn WhereScape and Snowflake to build a warehouse from our two major Health Care systems plus the myriad of one-off systems we have here It is a daunting challenge no doubt. But it's one I look forward to all the same because I love to learn. You're right when you say we're always learning even if we don't think we are. To me the best approach is to embrace that fact and learn to enjoy it.

By the way, I too am barely functional at PostgreSQL.

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398679 More actions · Answer 6

Jeff Moden wrote:

I'm having the same problem time-wise. As the old saying goes, "So say we all". 😀
I also have to admit there's great incentive in learning something new if you MUST use it (not my case... at least not yet) or you commit to writing articles about something. 😀

Talking to the bosses, keep an eye out, I may be writing a series "Learning PostgreSQL". We'll see how it goes. Priorities, etc.,

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398679 More actions · Answer 7

Stephen Rybacki wrote:

My personal challenge workwise is to learn WhereScape and Snowflake to build a warehouse from our two major Health Care systems plus the myriad of one-off systems we have here It is a daunting challenge no doubt. But it's one I look forward to all the same because I love to learn. You're right when you say we're always learning even if we don't think we are. To me the best approach is to embrace that fact and learn to enjoy it.
By the way, I too am barely functional at PostgreSQL.

Good news, Snowflake basics are stupid simple and almost identical to SQL Server (and PostgreSQL and...).

Bad news, to really put Snowflake to work you have to go beyond the basics and, hoo boy, have fun. And good luck. You'll do fine.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398679 More actions · Answer 8

Rod at work wrote:

I'm one of those to push myself to learn. I'm often disappointed with myself for not learning more, faster. I think I'm concerned that if I don't push myself, then I'll just end up streaming 6 hours of whatever each day. Thank you for reminding me that I can only learn so fast and not beating myself up for not picking it all up the first day.

WHAT? You're not an expert 2 hours after you start something? Slacker!

And you know I'm kidding. We are usually (almost said always, but I have a few critics that are worse than I am) our own worst critics. So starting there is a great idea.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt

Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1003861 More actions · Answer 9

Grant Fritchey wrote:

Jeff Moden wrote:
I'm having the same problem time-wise. As the old saying goes, "So say we all". 😀
I also have to admit there's great incentive in learning something new if you MUST use it (not my case... at least not yet) or you commit to writing articles about something. 😀
Talking to the bosses, keep an eye out, I may be writing a series "Learning PostgreSQL". We'll see how it goes. Priorities, etc.,

Good Sir! I don't know how you write so much with such high quality. Such a series would be no exception.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)