Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

  • Life Without Keyboards

    Using SQL Monitor on a tablet. I'm on a horse!

    I used to think that touch screens were useful for some applications, like cash registers, but not necessarily  something you’d want to use regularly. However the more I use an iPhone and iPad, the more I see a lot of value in having a gesture based system that I can manipulate. It isn’t perfect for every situation and it’s not wonderful for typing, but it works very well in most of the places where I use it.

    I ran across this link about research from Microsoft that’s using more of the human body for input. It’s crude, and it looks a little funny watching someone try to dial a phone projected onto their arm, but it does raise the possibility that we might actually want to do this at times. There could be value in using the body or some larger surface, especially for those of us getting older and struggling to read anything on a small display.

    As we look to capture more data, about more events, more often, having input devices that are better suited to the situation makes a lot of sense. Often when we are away from a set location, there isn’t always a good place to put a laptop or keyboard, and other input devices might allow data capture or annotation in harsh environments, like outside or even underwater.

    I love my keyboard, and can’t imagine getting as much work done as I do without it, but I am open to examining new ways to input data if they work well for the situation.

    Steve Jones

    FYI: That’s me using a tablet at the ranch, watching the SSC servers on SQL Monitor.

    (published at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Editorial/72414/)

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

  • ConFab Conference Scheduling – SQL Saturday Advice

    One of the things that’s hard to manage for all events is scheduling. Larger events print a brochure, and smaller ones tend to post schedules outside of rooms. Most SQL Saturdays also seem to give a printed schedule out in the bags in the morning when people check in. However a few events have found a better, way, at least for some users.

    Confab is an app for iPhone/iTouch/iPad that allows you to have a conference schedule online. I got a note that it was available for SQL Saturday #45 in Louisville, but couldn’t attend, so I didn’t try it. However I did use it for SQL Saturday #60 in Cleveland, allowing me to quickly and easily see what sessions were available at each time slot. I haven’t found an app for Android or Blackberry, or WP7, but if anyone knows of one, please let me know.

    I know the printed schedules are nice, but those can be out of date, especially for last minute cancellations. Also, they’re not as convenient to me, someone that always has my phone, but hates digging around in my laptop bag. The SQL Saturday site is slow for the schedule, and hard to read on a small device.

    I’d consider using an app for scheduling, and hopefully we’ll get some for other platforms as well.

  • I lied, now what?

    Not the best policy on the job.

    You have a job and realize that you’re in over your head. Perhaps you misled a manager that couldn’t really evaluate your technical skills, or maybe you memorized enough answers from Books Online to get through in interview. It could be that you took a test during the interview and used your cell phone to post the questions on SQLServerCentral and someone gave you the answers.

    Now you have been given a project and you don’t have the skills to complete it. You can’t ask for training or consulting help since you should know this stuff.  What do you do now? Should you continue to deceive your boss and ask for free help on the Internet? Can you muddle through it and hope that you don’t do anything that causes damage to the company?

    It’s a tough spot. I realize that you have bills, obligations, perhaps a family to take care of. Losing your job could impact other peoples’ lives. However my advice would be to be honest with your boss. Let him or her know that you need help, and move forward from this point.

    No matter what your skill level, you should be making an effort to grow your skills. You should be taking advantage of any help given to you by others to learn more.  If you are making an effort, learning to close the gap between your skills and your claims of knowledge, you should be fine. Your boss will be more understanding of you asking for help than he will be if your efforts fail and your deceit is uncovered.  Most people are willing to give others second chances, especially when they are working to make amends.

    If you’re just coasting, and happy to ask others to write your queries and not improving yourself, then good luck. At some point you will be exposed, and likely fired. And you would deserve it.

    Steve Jones

    (published at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Editorial/72367/)

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

  • Rolling to SQL Saturday #60

    I’m still stunned as I see numbers above 50 in the hash tags for SQL Saturdays. Yet here we are, #60 in Cleveland this weekend and I’m on the road this morning. Or in the air, catching a flight to Cleveland from Denver.

    I’ve never really been to Ohio, only having driven through the state on my way to someplace else. Stopping for gas and coffee doesn’t count as a visit, so I’m looking forward to this. Allen White, a friend I’ve known for years, will be my host, along with a number of other SQL people I’m looking forward to seeing again, or meeting for the first time.

    The event is sold out, which is a good thing. It shows interest in the free training and I hope this means that a few of you will help out and get another SQL Saturday in Cleveland sometime in the fall.

    I don’t have any great plans of things to see, other than run with Allen on Sunday morning. If any SQL runners are out there, feel free to join us, and follow the #sqlsat60 tag on Twitter. I’ll post some info about where/when as I get it.