SSRS. Dataset or View? Pros and cons.

In the last few months I've been using the tool SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), which was Microsoft's answer to Crystal Report. It uses Visual Studio and SQL Server as a way to publish report files as web pages.

A dataset is the "heart" of an SSRS report. It is simply a query that you run from the report. In many ways it's similar to running a view in SQL, in the sense that the query may join multiple tables, use parameters, use common table expressions (CTE's) and almost every function that a query can do.

When is it time to change your logo?

This topic is more about graphic design, even though I don't work in graphic design anymore. A logo is an important part of a business and at some point it has to go through a redesign. I see that even to this date (2016), IBM has not changed its logo, and yes, it is in dire need of a refresh!

The strange universe of the movie Tomorrowland.

The teaser for the movie Tomorrowland looked very enticing. It was a like a sneak peek into a reimagined utopia of technology. I was looking forward to it and couldn't wait until it came out.

Spoiler alert. If you haven't watched the movie, stop now so I don't ruin it for you.

Salesforce for a Developer

I was surprised to hear from some developers that had not heard of Salesforce and the fact that there is an entire language called Apex that uses Salesforce as an operating system, and best of all, it's entirely free to use as an individual.

The cool part: This is where you live in the gray area that Salesforce sells as "No Software". What they really mean is "No Software To Install In Your Local Machine". For a developer, there is also no software to get started: you don't have to install an IDE (you can if you want to), you don't have to run a compiler, you don't have to install database drivers. You just login to your dev environment through Chrome, and you can start editing and running Java-like code and seeing it interact with your data, right away, using a query language that can call data or objects. The other good part is that there are vast amounts of free training available to you that enable to keep track of how much you're learning.

Attending Dreamforce '14

I had the good fortune of being able to attend Dreamforce '14, the Salesforce conference in San Francisco, and get an up-close look at their products, vendors and training. The size of the conference was so massive, it took over several blocks and was definitely felt throughout the city. Every day had something memorable and important. I can now brag that I attended events with Marc Benioff, Tony Robbins, The Beach Boys, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Bruno Mars, Will.i.am, and more. One of the common themes you can observe is commitment to the  platform: there were many big companies (such as Accenture and Deloitte) that had invested heavily to integrate with Salesforce, and this conference was a way to reinforce this momentum and keep it growing.

Experimenting with d3.js

I had a chance to experiment with d3.js, one of many Javascript libraries that can create awesome data visualization diagrams by using  HTML, SVG and CSS. When I saw the gallery of examples in GitHub I wanted to try every single one. Setting up the library locally was very easy, and trying out the first tutorials was addictive and rewarding. Coming from a background of traditional Javascript, I had a to stretch my mind to adjust to a new way of thinking, and I was able to produce some interesting results. However, to be really good at using this library you need to be willing to invest a lot of your time, and also be a ninja with JavaScript arrays. If you have the time and the inclination, it's an interesting library that I found easy to learn but hard to master.

Book: Against The Gods by Peter Bernstein

I read this book in Kindle form in January of 2014.

Why did I choose to read this book? Normally I choose business topics simply to learn about certain area. In this case I saw an ad for this book, about probability analysis and risk, which to the unfamiliar it might sound boring. I decided to try it because I might learn something interesting, and the book was much better than I expected.

Book: Accidental Genius by Mark Levy

I downloaded the Kindle version of the book "Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content" by Mark Levy. I was a short read but it's nice to be reassured that writing for yourself is a great way to strengthen the structure of your ideas, and a great way to generate material for future development.

Book: What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

Format: Audiobook.

This business book has to be one of my personal favorites because it stayed with me as a profound influence by making me take a hard look at myself and question my weak points, but without making me feel bad about myself. There were many lessons that I put to practice and saw immediate results.

Mathemusicianship

I was going through the website of this lady called Vi Hart. Calls herself a Recreational Mathemusician. http://vihart.com/. Goes around creating all these interesting experiments and documenting them on video.

This can be a great source of inspiration for all people, to remind us that no matter what is our area of knowledge, when we are open to learning the methods and foundations of whatever skill we like, coupled with energy, creativity and time, new and crazy combinations can be made.

If there is one human imperative is to always create.

The secret for your product

I saw this as a funny caption, but I wonder if it's a real quote, because it sounds right.

PRODUCT. NO "SECRET." JUST LOTS OF PRODUCT.

I like it because it's a different way of saying that "action speaks louder than words". In creative endeavors, such as painting, writing, or programming, you will find a correlation between experience and quantity. Relying solely on talent doesn't guarantee success.

Myth: My website has to be "pretty"

This misconception is the ruin of many websites. I see many examples of websites where there was initial concern about the graphics, and it looked beautiful, but their information is old. This happens because a web designer was hired to get the website it up and running, but the maintenance was not planned out.

A common example is a neighborhood website with updates that don't get updated. For example, the fictitious town of Smalltown U.S.A. Today is March 5th, but their pretty main page asks the reader to "Get Ready for The Biggest Event, happening February 25th!". Pretty page; old content.

If your content is old, then a pretty website won't get you far. Don't get me wrong: attractive graphics are important. But if your goal is to have timely information updated, you need to have that aspect secured in your initial strategy. If your business is a one-person operation with very limited time to make updates, consider your first effort focusing on consolidating a process for easy maintenance, and bells and whistles later. Don't use up all your yearly budget agonizing on graphic design.