Earlier on today I tweeted the following message:
Anyone think #sqlserver BOL should have the examples at the top? That's the only bit people read, right?
In other words, the examples that appear in SQL Server Books Online are the most useful things in there so perhaps they should go at the top of the pages rather than right at the bottom.
It was only a throwaway comment but it created, by some distance, more retweets than I’ve ever seen before for anything I’ve said
so that got me thinking that maybe I was onto something. Brian Kelley (kbriankelley) had an equally useful take on the problem when he suggested:
I would prefer a set of links at the top the contents of each section for BOL. That would serve better for all.
Hence I have submitted a case to Connect requesting Microsoft make it easier to find the good stuff in BOL.
Description
Its true to say that the most used parts of BOL are the examples and hence it seems daft to have them stuck down at the bottom of the page where they are most difficult to get to.
This creates lots of unnecassary mouse scrolling - think of all the carpal tunnel syndrome cases you could solve in DBAs if this weren't the case. :)
Proposed Solution
Either:
a) Move the examples to the top of the page or
b) provide a link at the top that takes you straight to them
https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=487416
Click through and add your weight if you’re so inclined. Every little helps!
@Jamiet
UPDATE 2009-09-04: It seems the powers that be have had similar thoughts themselves. They have a prototype available that exhibits some of the behaviour talked about here at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms174335.aspx