What’s new in SQL Server 2025 CTP 2.0
Three years ago, when the first public preview of SQL Server 2022 (CTP 2.0) was announced, I was a few months in at the SQL Docs team, and had very little to do with that… What’s new in SQL Server 2025 CTP 2.0
The hell of Git line endings and the (not so) simple fix
I wrote a stream-of-consciousness post a few months ago about what I do in my day job at Microsoft, working in the Database Docs team. Basically we spend most of our day in an obscure… The hell of Git line endings and the (not so) simple fix
Choco upgrade, y’all
Chocolatey is a package manager for Windows, like the built-in package managers on Linux, and third-party ones on macOS like Homebrew and MacPorts. The idea is this: when you’re setting up a machine, you don’t… Choco upgrade, y’all
Read the error message
This post is brought to you — indirectly — from a boss I loved working for, on a project which almost killed me, at a company which I had to walk away from to restore… Read the error message
Using the Xero OAuth 2.0 API from a .NET Core console application
[Edited on 5 August 2021 with some pseudocode at the end.] This is not a post about SQL Server, but I need to write about something that I’ve been struggling with for a number of… Using the Xero OAuth 2.0 API from a .NET Core console application
Using indexed views? What is an imprecise or non-deterministic convert?
After last week’s post about using WITH (NOEXPAND) to query indexed views even on SQL Server Enterprise Edition, this week is a short but interesting side-road into deterministic values, and why it is important to… Using indexed views? What is an imprecise or non-deterministic convert?
Using indexed views? Don’t forget this important tip.
Today after fighting with designing a view that let me create a clustered index on it (indexed views — also known as materialized views — are awesome in the right context!), I kept running into the same… Using indexed views? Don’t forget this important tip.
Convert legacy password storage without aggravating your users
In a previous post I wrote about storing password hashes in a database, which raises the question of how to convert an existing legacy password storage system to use hashes (or even no passwords!) without annoying the… Convert legacy password storage without aggravating your users
What is a container anyway?
Recently there was a thread on Twitter which established that a lot of IT people didn’t know the difference between virtual machines and containers. |￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|| CONTAINERS || ARE NOT | | VIRTUAL || MACHINES ||… What is a container anyway?
Containers and data: you gotta keep ’em separated
There was an interesting conversation on Twitter recently, between Grant Fritchey (blog | twitter), Kenneth Fisher (blog | twitter), Anthony E. Nocentino (blog | twitter), Vicky Harp (twitter), and me about containers and SQL Server.… Containers and data: you gotta keep ’em separated
SQL Server containers no longer being updated in the Docker registry
In October 2018, Microsoft announced a change to the source of their Docker containers. You should be using the new Microsoft Container Registry (MCR) as the source for official Docker container images for Microsoft products.… SQL Server containers no longer being updated in the Docker registry
Speaking at SQLBits in March 2019
I have been selected to speak for a second time at SQLBits, which is being hosted in Manchester UK this year from 27 February to 2 March 2019. My session is called An overview of… Speaking at SQLBits in March 2019
Database modelling in a post-SSMS world: dbForge Studio
A few months ago, Microsoft announced that SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) will no longer include the visual Database Diagrams feature from v18.0 onward. [Edit: Microsoft reversed this decision with SSMS 18.1, and the designer… Database modelling in a post-SSMS world: dbForge Studio
Infrastructure matters, even in the Cloud
I am still amused by terminology in the Information Technology field. Words like “Kubernetes,” “containers,” and the BASIC keywords PEEK and POKE, all bring a smile to my lips every time I read or say… Infrastructure matters, even in the Cloud
Repair Visual Studio for Mac: Extension node not found in path
A few months ago I ran into a problem after updating Visual Studio for Mac, where it would not start. The actual error message (which I retrieved from a log file) said: Extension node not… Repair Visual Studio for Mac: Extension node not found in path