Easy or Hard
How should we build tools? Should they be easy to use? Or does it make sense to have some things hard to do so that only experienced used choose them. Steve Jones comments on usability and the implications of your choices.
Converting Hexadecimal String Values to Alpha (ASCII) Strings
In an interesting exercise in data conversion, Stephen Lasham brings us a nice article on basic manipulations.
Seeing Double
SQL Server allows some interesting index behavior and there's been some debate over whether it makes sense or not. This Friday Steve Jones asks if you have a reason for this.
International Features in Microsoft SQL Server 2005
This white paper introduces Microsoft SQL Server developers to the international features of Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Topics covered include an explanation of Unicode, added support for supplementary characters in SQL Server 2005, the changes in collation in different versions of SQL Server, changes in data types, performance, updates on data providers, and new international support features in SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services and Integration Services.
TSQL Spam-killer
In which Phil takes a break from a tedious bit of routine coding to build a Spam Filter in SQL.
Retrieve XML data values with XQuery in SQL Server 2005
Use XQuery scripting language to retrieve specific XML data type values in SQL Server. Learn to script and use Value() and Query() to retrieve single and multiple XML values.
Seeing Double
SQL Server allows some interesting index behavior and there's been some debate over whether it makes sense or not. This Friday Steve Jones asks if you have a reason for this.
Seeing Double
SQL Server allows some interesting index behavior and there's been some debate over whether it makes sense or not. This Friday Steve Jones asks if you have a reason for this.
Blogs
“We love to debate minutiae”
By Brian Kelley
I am guilty as charged. The quote was in reference to how people argue...
Advice I Like: Knots
By Steve Jones
Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Practice in the dark. With one hand....
Shifting Mindsets: Why FinOps is Essential for Cloud Efficiency
By HeyMo0sh
As a DevOps practitioner, I’ve always focused on performance, scalability, and automation. But as...
Forums
Windows logins for users migrated from DomainA to DomainB
Hi, I have a SQL Server instance where users connect to via Windows Authentication,...
Multiple Deployment Processes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Multiple Deployment Processes
How to Use sqlpackage to Detect Schema Drift Between Azure SQL Databases
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How to Use sqlpackage to...
Question of the Day
Upgrading Admin Queries
I have a query from a former DBA that we run on SQL Server 2025 to check on database metadata. This query references sys.sysaltfiles. I want to refactor this code to be more modern. Which DMV should I reference instead?
See possible answers