This morning, Windows 7 decided to push the wrong buttons with me, but on reflection, I’d have to call it “The Re-Boot Dilemma”. I’ll start with my rant first. I was checking my emails and doing research for a couple of projects – so I had a number of windows open, including several FireFox windows, [...]
I am now having a play with Windows 7 on a virtual environment. Okay, it’s Microsoft on a budget – trial versions of Windows 7, MS Office 2007 and Visio 2007, all so that I can write a technical document on my own computer. My, things have changed from XP! Where on earth is everything?!? [...]
Once upon a nightmare query, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious part of code, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a hacking, Someone gently hacking, hacking at my network node. “‘Tis some colleague”, I muttered, “knocking at my network node – Only this,” I did decode. Ah, [...]
When moving data from one system to another, it is invariably the CSV format that is used: it’s conveniently supported by Excel, Access and almost every other spreadsheet and database management system. However, it’s not the best format to use. CSV, as it’s name suggests, uses commas to separate values into columns. Furthermore, text is [...]
I’ve been looking on the web for freelance opportunities. It seems like nothing is what it appears to be: lots of opportunities for professional bloggers for instance. I’ve now come across an MVP (Microsoft Valued Professional) who is looking for a technical writer to blog on his behalf. Maybe I’m reading it wrong, but it [...]
I recently decided to study for an MCTS in SQL Server 2008 and have looked at a number of books to decide which certification to go for and which book seemed to be best placed to help. Here is a brief summary of my research:- Exam 70-432 – SQL Server 2008 Implementation and Maintenance “Microsoft [...]
“What is a Microsoft certification worth?” That seems to be a common question at the moment. Some purists advocate that the cert is becoming worth less because people are using so-called brain dumps to memorise the answers to questions. They say that you shouldn’t get a cert unless you have x number of years experience [...]