You know Microsoft SQL Server is considered an enterprise database when Management tells you it costs too much !  Micro$oft has finally done it, and management has declared they don't want it.  I don't necessarily agree, but I do follow orders well.

The cost increase of 25% and virtualization licensing changes in R2 are unacceptable.

We're now reviewing Open Source databases and conversion costs, we're also contacting all our vendors and will be insisting on supporting some other DBMS than Microsoft SQL Server either now or by the end of the current contracts.

Microsoft has done a great job with sql 2008 r2, most features we don't need  [BI / MDM], didn't ask for, don't want and a cost increase to boot.  There are good features in SQL 2008 R2, but not at this cost; especially when we won't be utilizing most of the new features.

I'm not looking forward to Open Source, but I might be impressed, 10 years ago IBM DB2 pricing was reaching the tipping point and I began to learn a little respected database called Microsoft SQL Server, now it's time to begin learning something new.

I'd love to hear from some shops that began supporting open source databases, as obviously it will take some time to convert; but all new implementations on sql will most likely cease.

Hard to believe, but it's true !

I've had a nice machine that came with windows vista, 64 bit; but it locked up constantly.  Over the months i've tried many things, even went with installing windows xp 32 bit, same behavior.  Finally I had concluded it must be a bad peice of hardware causing this mystery lock-ups...and let the thing become a paper weight.

Finally decided to try windows 7 last week, popped the dvd in, formatted the hard drive (no sense upgrading a non-working os) and installed windows 7.

Wow, windows 7, right out of the box, my machine finally works.

It's been on for a week without a single "lock-up", amazing !  Micro$oft may have gotten one right.

It's becoming an annual event, snake round up.

Links to previous years !

http://www.lifeasbob.com/2009/03/22/PiedPiperOfGrandview.aspx
http://www.lifeasbob.com/2009/04/27/PiedPiperOfGrandviewII.aspx

Less of them this year so maybe we're starting to get rid of them.  I saw 5 in the front yard at once, I managed to grab 4 of them all at once, but 1 got away !