There is one thing that all IT people have in common

No one throws away old code.

This is true for both developers and admins alike.

Even if it is bad code.

Even if it is janky code.

Especially if it is janky...

Because hidden in that code is a genius insight that is still valid even if the code is crap. And genius is hard to come by.

Now when someone quits, they generally leave a copy of this code behind. If the parting was on good terms, it might be labelled. Otherwise, you are on your own. Grep and Windows Search are your friends...

Now, here is the secret: the harder the code is to find, the harder it is to make sense of, the more useful the code is. No one actually follows format and comment guidelines in their personal "only use this in case of emergency" code. That would be like detailing the steps of recovering a suspect database without doing a restore. (And, no, I will not tell you.)

So if anyone has an old PC of mine, the good stuff is in a directory called "misc". You're welcome.

What if falling in love was a simple as burning an install disc?

Computer Geek Valentine: Operating System for Love by egogenius

Tales from the Frontlines: Operation "You're in Over Your Head..."

There are 3 simple rules that you need to follow in order to ensure success in a new job. And oddly enough they concern what you do before you accept a job offer, not after.

1. Don't lie on your resume.
2. Don't lie in the interviews.
3. Don't have references lie for you.

It will all come back to haunt you in the form of an emergency that you will have no idea how to handle. And then you will become a problem for me. Because you will turn to me with a "deer in headlights" look on your face when I try to explain what you need to do to solve the problem. I know then that my next words need to be, "Just send it to me." Sigh.

I hate it when your incompetence makes my job more difficult.

Knowing What to Google is Half the Battle

And most people's Google-fu is weak.

The secret to success in IT is learning from the mistakes of others and taking advantage of their triumphs. This means being a good code shark. None one sane writes all of his or her own code. We grab things from here and there that meet the needs of the problem at hand.This is where experience comes into play: learning to recognize the difference between good code and bad code. And only using bad code when there is no other option...

What is the significance of "Not the DBA"?

The title of DBA denotes very specific skills, duties, and responsibilities in the database community. And as such specific salary levels. Unfortunately, many companies just have a "database person", someone unlucky enough to know how to open and use SSMS. This is often a database developer, an ETL analyst, or even a reporting specialist. Eventually, however, through trials of fire and much error this person will acquire much of the knowledge that a DBA has. That is when they become truly dangerous...