April 7, 2008 at 8:13 am
bitbucket (4/7/2008)
Getting tired, so very tired of sloppily worded questions ...dob not defined as a column name in the table or for that matter anywhere in question ... so it can not, and will not return the correct values :w00t:
If a DBA was as careless as some of these last few questions, he/she would be looking for a job PDQ. (Pretty darn quick).
Proposed it twice before and will propose it again.
Steve ask for volunteers to be appointed to a panel that checks and double checks these question BEFORE they are published as the QOD.
Have you posted it in the Suggestions Forum, http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Forum4-1.aspx? I am not sure you can be guaranteed that Steve or anyone else is going to read every post in a forum containing a long list of the same complaint(s) over and over. I think it is a good suggestion, but you need to be sure the people checking the questions know that portion of SQL Server. It would be very difficult for me to adequately edit a question on Analysis Services or Full-Text Search as I do not currently use either so I don't have the knowledge to be sure I will know the correct answer(s).
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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April 7, 2008 at 8:22 am
This question is wrong. It specifies the column "join_date" but one of the "correct" answers uses the function "month(dob)".
Ed
Ed Leighton-Dick | Consultant | Microsoft Data Platform MVP | MCSE | PASS Regional Mentor
April 7, 2008 at 8:23 am
As one who is analytical, precise, and leaves nothing up for assumption, the question was written in a manner that is neither analytical, precise, and leaves EVERYTHING up for assumption. The question suggests that the author requires a micro-manager so that critical functions of an enterprise are not left up for assumption.
April 7, 2008 at 8:29 am
I agree. Qods have become so careless and subjective as to be worthless.
As everyone else has noted, wth does "dob" have to do with "join" date?
SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) A socialist is someone who will give you the shirt off *someone else's* back.
April 7, 2008 at 8:36 am
I want my point.
Please do a better job of proofreading your questions.
):-D
April 7, 2008 at 8:38 am
It cannot possibly be 'dob' cause the question specifies join_date column.
April 7, 2008 at 8:42 am
Steve,
So you have anything to add before you're DRAWN AND QUARTERED, HUNG FROM THE YARDARM, TARRED AND FEATHERED, and BURNED AT THE STAKE?:hehe:
April 7, 2008 at 8:50 am
Steady on Tom - what's the point in Tar and Feathering an empty corpse? 🙂
Hiding under a desk from SSIS Implemenation Work :crazy:
April 7, 2008 at 9:00 am
Jignesh Mehta (4/6/2008)
The other answer " datename(m,join_date) like '%a%' " is also not correct as it will not give the list of employees who joined in the month of FEB
Well technically the letter a is in the month of February.
Not sure exactly what dob has to do with the hire date or join_date though.
In either case, using like in this manner for join criteria
datename(m,join_date) like '%a%'
is a very poor choice, if SQL server is in another language the letter a may not be in the spellings of the month names. If month(dob) was month(hire_date) or month(join_date), it would be the correct choice.
April 7, 2008 at 9:01 am
Sorry, you are wrong. The first is not correct as the condition is on the wrong column - dob rather than join_date. The second is correct as each month's full name contains an 'a'.
The first WOULD HAVE been a better choice though - had the column been correct.
Nancy
April 7, 2008 at 9:13 am
Harrumph! I agree with the previous posts. A poorly designed question with no good answer.
I know it is only one point, but come on.
-km
April 7, 2008 at 9:18 am
A question intended to test
was misworded, so wasn't the best.
Calls of "I've been mistreated"
were incessantly repeated,
so come on, guys; please give it a rest.
Semper in excretia, suus solum profundum variat
April 7, 2008 at 9:23 am
I chose option two as option one looked more like Date Of Birth which would be incorrect... 😛
April 7, 2008 at 9:34 am
People, give it a rest. Why do 20 or so people repeat what's been said in first few posts?
What if site owners decide not to post qod at all? Heck, the site it free, exchange of information is free and all moderators get is whining.
It's a torture to read over 70 posts most repeating the same thing "Mistake, bad question, give me my points". So, stop it, please.
April 7, 2008 at 9:35 am
Tom,
Before I respond, Scotty, I need more power to the forward shields (bad, Donald-Farmer-like-Scottish-Accent in place here).
My apologies for the column thing. I didn't notice it. I saw "dob" and thought "date", not realizing that join_date was the column, even though I read it.
Everyone has points back and the answer has been corrected.
As much as I'd like to agree with Hugo, I'm sure neither I nor he would fire someone for this. They might get a nice, long, tongue lashing, but if I fired everyone that wrote a stupid SQL statement, I'd be the only one writing them.
OK, if you want to complain, try to set up your own question. It's easy, in fact, dirt simple, to make a mistake in an answer. Now do that 2000 times as I have done. I've probably gotten more write than wrong, but the wrongs are probably numbering in the 100s. We don't try to drive up stats. If you see an issue, and someone else has posted it, answering a "me too, or dob isn't listed" just puts me in a bad mood. At least be creative like Tom (http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Search1-1-2.aspx?SessionID=1hmhej45kupwi545b0bseki1&SortBy=2&SortOrder=1)
It's worse when you pick on someone that tried a question. Have some understanding and I'll get to this. you're welcome to flood my PM box with complaints if I take longer than a day to fix your points. That's on me.
We tried to have people look at questions beforehand. We even had someone as dedicated as Hugo to helping people, join in. They lasted a few months before proofing questions became a job and not fun. Not saying that we won't try again (need some developer time to get this working), but not sure it will work. I think having someone like Hugo (not to pick on Hugo), post a note here when there's an issue will help.
I shall drop a note in tomorrow's newsletter about this in more detail. Feel free to comment there and suggest things, complain, etc. If you complain, and complaints are welcome, please submit a question or two yourself so you understand.
Lastly, the QOD is not necessarily here to show best practices. I saw today's question as a puzzle more than a best way to do this. My frame of reference was different there. That's the other issue; depending on what I'm thinking, I see the questions in a different light.
Plus I hate to tell someone that their QOD stinks. I realize that I'm not the best judge of things sometimes.
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