Maybe this post should have been a Geek City post, because 20 years is the length of time I've been working with SQL Server! Some people might think it's very geeky to spend 20 years working with the same software product.
I started working with the Sybase Corporation on October 27th, 1987. They gave a certificate to everyone after their first year, and I had that certificate on my wall for years and years, proudly proclaiming "I survived a year at Sybase!" with the dates clearly indicated. I actually survived over 5 years at Sybase before moving to the Beautiful Pacific Northwest and starting to work independently.
In the Beautiful Pacific Northwest, some of the native peoples have a tradition of "potlatch" when celebrating special occasions. Although there are many aspects of true potlatch, both spiritual and practical, one of the features is that the host of the celebration gives gifts instead of receiving them. With the release of my latest book occurring close to this momentous anniversary, I decided to follow that tradition and give gifts to thank my readers for all their support and encouragement over the last many years that I have been writing about SQL Server.
Fabulous Prizes:
First Prize:
A set of all four Inside SQL Server 2005 books
The Storage Engine
Query Tuning and Optimization
T-SQL Querying
T-SQL Programming
Second Prizes: (2 sets will be given away)
Two of the Inside SQL Server 2005 books:
The Storage Engine
Query Tuning and Optimization
Third Prizes: (7 will be given away):
This one is hot off the presses (Microsoft Press, that is)
Inside SQL Server 2005: Query Tuning and Optimization
Additional Prizes:
Various SQL Server branded items that I have in my possession
First prize will be shipped anywhere in the world.
Other prizes will be shipped to US, UK or Canada addresses only.
To enter the giveaway, please follow these rules:
1. Create an email message to this newly created email address
2. Include "Happy Anniversary" in the subject line. The mail will be filed as junk if you don't.
3. The body of the email should consist of a single T-SQL INSERT statement (shown below). A value for country is required. If you include a city or region, I will add you to my mailing list so that when I speak at user groups in various parts of the world, I can let you know if I will be in your area. Examples of city or region would be "Beautiful Pacific Northwest", "San Francisco Bay Area", "Western Australia", "Central Europe" or "London". If you do not want to include city or region, please explicitly include NULL in the INSERT.
4. Doublecheck the syntax! Make sure you have open and close quotes for all strings, and that the quotes are STRAIGHT quotes, as in the INSERT statement below. If you use Word to add a quote of your own or replace one that's there, it's usually a "smart" quote, which in this case is NOT smart. SQL Server will reject the INSERT if the quotes are not STRAIGHT. I suggest you use SSMS to write the insert.
5. Send the email.
6. Wait until October 27th to find out the winners. I will send the winners email, asking for a mailing address.
Here is the INSERT statement. Replace the strings in red with your specific information, and include it in your email:
INSERT INTO Anniversary.Raffle(emailAddress, firstName, lastName, country, city_region)
VALUES('Your email address', 'First Name', 'Last Name', 'Country', 'City or Region' )
Thank you!
~Kalen