Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

  • Great Developers

     

    Are you on track to be a great developer?

    Is a great software developer worth 100 average ones? On one hand I think there are some good arguments that it’s not true. One developer certainly can’t write the amount of code that 100 average ones can. However there’s another way to look at things. A great developer can do things that the 100 will never think of, or never consider. He might not write the code that does as many things as 100 people, but I think a great developer could easily write code that performs a hundred times faster than the code 100 developers write.

    That’s why you always have an open position available for a great developer. If one is available, and they rarely are, you hire them if they want to work for you. You can always find things for them to do, and they can make improvements in code that your other 5, 10, or 20 developers will never come up with. I’d make sure they fit in your team and get along with others. You can get less work done if you have someone that is too difficult to deal with or too critical of others. While a great developer can accomplish things that others can’t, or won’t, they can’t do all the work.

    Ultimately I think that managing great developers is hard, and they are unlikely to stay with your company for a long period of time. However they are rarely available, and for a few years, they might jump start the evolution of your software, and potentially build something that makes your software great. I’d always have an open spot in my team for a great developer, and hire them as soon as they came available, if I thought they would fit in well with the rest of the team.

    Steve Jones

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

    We publish three versions of the podcast each day for you to enjoy.

  • Traveling More Than Expected

    For a guy that was looking to not travel much, it seems that I’ve got way more on my plate than I expected. Right now I have these trips scheduled. At most of them, I’m scheduled to deliver some type of talk.

    That’s quite a bit of travel for me. Add to that these personal trips:

    • Boy Scout camping in April
    • Summer Camp for Boy Scouts in June
    • Summer Camp for Girl Scouts (weekend) in July
    • Two horse race trips with my wife
    • Summer Camping with the family in August

    So much for an off year.

  • Why Support WIT

    First, only support Women in Technology if you want to. It’s an idea that appeals to some, but not to everyone and if it’s not your cause, that’s fine. I don’t think less of you for not supporting the cause, but I would if you bash it. There’s no reason to do that.

    What is WIT? Karen Lopez has a great writeup, and one I agree with. We want to make sure people that want to get into technology can, and not feel that their interest in the field is “wrong”.

    This is Why I #WIT …And Why You Should, Too.

  • Old, but stable

    SQL Server 2000 was a great platform

    I had another poll planned for today, but then I saw Paul Randal’s blog on SQL Server 2000 and it inspired me. I spent many years working on SQL Server 2000 systems, and I liked the platform. It very very stable, reliable, and effective for the companies in which I worked. This was pre-cool SQL Server logo, pre-SSRS, pre-64-bit hardware. SQL Server 2000 was the release that I spent the most time working on to that point in my career.

    Today we have an easy poll, and I’d love to get your answer, and I’m sure Paul would as well, so feel free to put your answer here and on his blog:

    Are you still running SQL Server 2000 in production and why?

    It’s 2012, we have now had 4 releases of SQL Server since SQL Server 2000, but I know there are still plenty of SQL Server 2000 instances out there. It’s not being actively supported or patched, but many companies still continue to use it. Why?

    The reasons often come down to money. I know a few friends that have SQL Server 2000 instances running some proprietary software and their companies do not want to spend the money on an upgrade. With a stable database platform that doesn’t have issues, would you? Is it worth upgrading to the latest version of the platform when what you have works?

    I think you upgrade when you see an advantage to doing so. If that means you want readable secondaries that provide HA, DR, and reporting, then you are probably planning on a SQL Server 2012 upgrade now. If you have to run a key card system that checks people in and out of a building, SQL Server 6.5 probably works fine.

    Let us know today if you still run SQL Server 2000, and how it’s working for you.

    Steve Jones

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

    We publish three versions of the podcast each day for you to enjoy.