Category: General

I have been an Oracle DB person for quite a while until my new job where we are running DB2 and MS SQL for the moment. Now, in Oracle, the NVL() function is a quick shortcut for series of nasty CASE THEN ELSE statements. Since the data am dealing with here is a little messy, I needed plenty of such.To make matters worse, SQL is the only common denominator for me between Oracle and MS SQL (as far as Mr. Olowe is concerned).

Anyway, after banging my head on the table exactly 1001 times, I finally discovered that ISNULL(element_to_check,value_if_null) does the same thing. I gleefully went over my previous codes and yanked the sonafab***h CASE statements out.

Knowledge is really power.

To read more on ISNULL for MS SQL, head over to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms184325.aspx

While shopping for a new car recently, I was seriously considering a Honda Accord. What struck me however was the funny names Nigerians have given the different generations of Honda Accords.Third Generation Accord
Code Name: Honda Pure Water
Year of Manufature: 1986 – 1989

Fourth Generation Accord
Code Name: Honda Ala
Year of Manufacture: 1990 – 1993

Fifth Generation Accord
Code Name: Bulldog (European Version is called Bullet)

Year of Manufacture: 1994 – 1997

Sixth Generation Accord
Code Name: Baby Boy
Year of Manufature: 1998 – 2002

Seventh Generation Accord
Code Name: End of Discussion (EOD)
Year of Manufacture: 2003 – 2006

Over the last one year since Jesse James Garette unleashed the Ajax dragon (he didn’t create it, he only gave it a fancy name) everyone has jumped on the bandwagon of how Web 2.0 (whatever that means) and Ajax will save the world. How they will chase the traditional desktop app out of the market. Well, I don’t believe it. It is too much hype.It reminds me of the time XML came and it was touted as the promised lingua franca for all computeroid. We haven’t seen that. Except that we have all settled down to using it for hauling the dirty data everywhere. Despite the fact that Oracle and MS SQL support XML out of the box, we still store and retrieve our data the way we understand.

I guess no technology will succeed for it’s own sake. Technology will succeed when it is able to solve the everyday problems that plagues you and me (get jobs done, put some change in the pocket).

You can read here what some dude thinks about this too.

I guess there is somewhere in the bible where Jesus talked about the fact that if you have two shirts, give one to someone who doesnt have. I dont know why am writing this. But one thing I know is that I am mightily sad in my heart. Not because I didnt get what I wanted but because of some out-of-this-world earth-shaking display of selfishness by someone. Man, it hurts me when people become so full of themselves and getting to help the next person becomes the most difficult thing in the world.I know that I aint on the list of the most generous people on earth but I guess am trying my best. One of the things that surprise me is the way people are so nice to me sometimes. People I havent given a hoot about go the extra mile or sacrifice one limb just because of me. Some of my neighbors are like that. They are so nice and generous to the point of me looking like the devils cousin.

So I am trying my best to help as many people as possible. You never know when it is going to come around. And also, I heard that it is best to help people that aint in position to help you back. So you never expect anything back. You get paid back by God.

Back to what I was saying, the bible talked about someone having two shirts giving one out. What about someone who has three shirts? Some people are just naturally selfish&.

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