Carla: "If I noticed..." Consider this example: My company apparently gives a small bonus (something like $50 a year) to staff who have worked more than 5 years...

I would report the problem IF I knew about it. This article got me to thinking about how I look at my bank statement. I don't analyze it...

Eric: Thanks for taking the time to write out your thoughts!

Eric: Due to the way I learned SQL, I've never used distinct. But your posting got me to thinking. I wonder when are the "occasions when distinct...

Nice, easy-read article. It even introduced me to a new function (CheckSum), which I looked up when reading your article. I particularly appreciated the code comments. I'm...

Fun! Now I want the answers.

The article aside, I appreciate the discussion here about various data modeling tools. I've been using ERwin for years. Like others, I have been rather unhappy with ERwin....

I really appreciated this article. I'm not a DBA per-say, but no one else is doing it... I do some of the items on the list (backups of...

As far as I know, I do not do agile programming. However, I do use prototypes extensively. In fact, my users never see or have to approve a...

That wasn't the only description we...

Scope Creep?

Maybe. I agree that you don't want to make a project more complicated than it needs to be. But the key here is "than it needs to...

Here's another idea that (like others) adds to the scope, but seems in keeping with the spirit of the discussion. The initial requirements list rarely covers the needs of...

I appreciate this discussion. Most especially, I appreciate it when people explain the *whys* for their recommendations. It helps to understand where people are coming from. Just...

Matt:

You have a point. Thanks for your reply.

- JJ

"Pay you now or pay you later." How about pay you never? I work in a place that can't afford real DBAs, not even as occasional consultants. ...