Windows version numbers
Every time I have need to determine the Windows version (eg. XP, Vista, Server 2008 etc) based on the Windows version number, I get surprised by how difficult it is to find this information on microsoft.com. The information is there, but it's fragmented, and I have to check at least 2-3 different source to get the full picture.
Now I am tired of this and have created a full list of Windows version numbers which should represent the full picture:
Database diagram support error in MS SQL Server 2008 R2
Today I stumbled across a rather bizarre error message while trying to create a database diagram on a specific database on my MS Sql Server 2008 R2 installation. The error message received was:
database diagram support objects cannot be installed because this database does not have a valid owner
But looking av the configuration of my server and database, everything seem to be correct. At least this is what it looks like, but the real problem was that the default owner, namely the dbo, is not mapped! Somewhat similar to what you experience when doing a database restore on a new database server!
In my case I change it to the sa user which I have defined on my server with the following commands:
EXEC sp_dbcmptlevel 'yourdatabasename', '90'; go ALTER AUTHORIZATION ON DATABASE::yourdatabasenameTO "sa" go use yourdatabasename go EXECUTE AS USER = N'dbo' REVERT go
Did it work for your?
Please try this, and drop me a comment if it doesnt work, or you had to alter the statement to make it work!
Amazon Web Services abbreviations Cheat sheet
Abbreviations are effective while talking with experts on a common domain, but for the rest of the world they are terrible and often more humiliating than effective! In my opinion abbreviations work as a great Master suppression technique! There are no better way than to start throwing abbreviations over the table if you want to feel superior to colleagues and customers!
But seriously, I hate them, but can't live quite without them, and you certainly can't read documentation without them!
Here are the most common you need while working with Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Understanding features in Scrum – The never ending feature
A couple of years back I blogged about the difference between features and user stories in Scrum, you can read the whole article here. Since then there has been allot of discussions among Scrum enthusiasts on the topic, where my article has been referenced, eg this discussion on StackExchange.com. My understanding on the differences between features and user stories has not change, but I though I post a copule of updates to clarify some on the topic.
This is the second update on the topic, my first update was called A testable user story.
In this post I will try to address another aspect of the feature, namely the difficult task of creating or defining the correct set of features! In my other post I used login functionality on a web site as an example, and will use the same example here. Please read the posts A testable user story and Features vs user stories to better understand the concept of user stories in the context of features.
A testable user story
A couple of years back I blogged about the difference between features and user stories in Scrum, you can read the whole article here. Since then there has been allot of discussions among Scrum enthusiasts on the topic, where my article has been referenced, eg this discussion on StackExchange.com. My understanding on the differences between features and user stories has not change, but I though I post a couple of updates to clarify some on the topic.
This is the first update on the topic of testable user stories, my second update is called Understanding features in Scrum.
5 steps GTD weekly review
This article should be seen in relation with my previous checklist post. Finding an effectiv daily and weekly work rythm is essential to obtain productivity and replace a stressful reactive career with a proactive career where you set the agenda, avoid firefighting and finish the tasks you define as important, not what everybody else defines as important!
A couple of important principles:
- Start the day by making a prioritized list of the most important tasks for today!
- Always finish your most important task each day before making any phone calls or checking emails! This is very important, checking emails makes everybody else agenda more important than yours, and you loose control of your day at that very second you check your email.
How to get Windows Phone 7.8 right away
The roll-out of Windows Phone 7.8 has begun, but when you will actually receive this update for you phone, is very hard to tell. It could take week or even months before they decide it's your turn!
In case you are eager like me, you can easily get the upgrade from Windows Phone 7.5 to Windows Phone 7.8 right away by following this procedure:
- Disable WIFI and data connections on your phone
- Connect your phone to Zune on you PC
- Start Network and Sharing Center on your PC
- Identify which network you are connected to under "View your active networks"
- Click the network name to open the connection status window. Typically it says something like "Wireless Network Connection (your network name)"
- Locate the disable button (See picture below). For now you don't do anything about it.
- Connection your phone via USB to your PC and go to Zune
- In Zune press Settings->Update
- Go quickly back to connection status window opened in step 5 and press the Disable button within 3 sec after pressing Settings->Update. Zune should the immediately say that an update in available.
- Re-enable the network on your laptop and proceed with the Windows Phone 7.8 update as described in Zune
- It might take a couple of updates before you are on 7.8, so you might have to go through with the steps 1-10 a couple of times more to get all the necessary updates to reach 7.8
Note: I did this on a Lumia 900 but as far as I can see it should work on all devices running Windows Phone 7.5
