Unmanaged Database Deployment

For the past few months I have been deploying changes to my companies database every couple of weeks or so. Over a weekend when the database was not being used I would make a backup of the database, load up visual studio, deploy the database changes and copy a couple of front-end files. My weekends and evenings have...

Baby Magic and Becoming a Father

I am pleased to announce the birth of James David Martin Foster weighing 9 lb 12 on 19th August 2015. Mother and Baby (and Father) are doing well. I am not a baby person, I hate children and I run a mile from other people’s babies. But James performed some magic on me and now I will do anything for him. If you have had...

Due Dates

As I write this I have less than 2 days until the due date for the birth of my first child. Its a very exciting time, but it is also infuriating waiting for it to arrive. Even in the 21st century science can not predict with any accuracy when a baby is going to arrive and we just have to wait for mother nature to do...

How complex are my stored procedures?

Recently me and my development team have been looking at performance and how to improve it. One area of improvement we have identified is with our stored procedures, which we plan to rewrite. But how do we identify which are the easiest to rewrite and which are the hardest? My first thought was maybe to count the...

ICYMI What does it mean?

For a while now I have seen ICYMI splattered around the internet. I had no idea what it meant so just ignored it but I have finally had enough and I googled for a definition and I now know what it means. ICYMI – In Case You Missed It ICYMI is often used on social media sites to indicate articles that you might have...

I use git as my source control system. Here are some of the most common git commands in no particular order. Check Out a git Repository git clone /path/to/repository Add files to commit git add Commit files to git git commit -m “Commit message” Push changes to server git push origin master Show status git status...

Upper Pylon 2 – 1 x 09: The Passenger

I recorded another podcast the other week it can be found http://www.trekmate.org.uk/upper-pylon-2-1-x-09-the-passenger/ and feedback about it can be left on the trekmate forums http://forum.trekmatefamily.com/2015/07/thoughts-on-up2s-the-passenger-or-vantika-x-33/ This week on Upper Pylon 2, we are joined by our first...

10 facts about Windows 10

Today Microsoft release Windows 10 so what else can I talk about? I like many technology people are very excited today. This version of window is the first that Microsoft have release for free. 10 You heard that correct Windows 10 is free. If you upgrade your device to windows 10 before 29th July 2016 it is free and...

Writing better Git commit messages

I always use source control for my coding changes, however some of my commit messages leave something to be desired. I always try to write a commit message but I often think that the change themselves should be enough to indicate what I did. I also don’t need to include who made the change or the time and date and that...