Tech Tips, Tricks & Trivia

In the 10th Anniversary edition of SQL Server Magazine, there are recommendations to 5 free tools for SQL Server. Two of them are for load testing and the others for preventing SQL Injection - SQLQueryStress - query load testing tool written by SQL Server MVP Adam Machanic. SQL Load Generator - run multiple concurrent queries against SQL Server HP Scrawlr — This free scanner utility can detect and identify whether your website is susceptible to an SQL injection attack. URLScan — This security tool actively restricts the kind of HTTP requests that Microsoft IIS will process. Microsoft Source Code Analyzer for SQL Injection — Static code analysis tool for finding SQL Injection vulnerabilities in ASP code The following are Kalen Delaney 's recommendations for testing before deployment: 1. Test with real data. 2. Test with real data volumes. 3. Test with a real number of concurrent users. Also see: SQL Server Performance Audit Checklist Tips on ASP.NET Hosting & Deployment

One of the best free learning resources on the Web is Wikipedia. It has been built by thousands of altruistic volunteers from across the world. Despite some controversies, it is favored by millions and it runs on donations. If you have benefited from it, you can donate to the cause or pay it forward by contributing your knowledge and time to it. Editing existing articles or adding new ones though is not for the technically faint of heart. Luckily there is now help at hand. The how-to book Wikipedia: The Missing Manual is now available online for free on Wikipedia . ( Thanks Amit ) Update(27-Apr-09): You can create a book out of any content on Wikipedia and download the finished book as a PDF. Talking of donations, Philip Greenspun gifted $20,000 for creation of illustrations for Wikimedia Foundation projects. "It occurred to me that when the dust settled on the Wikipedia versus Britannica question, the likely conclusion would be 'Wikipedia is more up to date; Britannica h...

Did you know, Mort Reichek , a World War II army veteran & former editor of Business Week, began blogging when he achieved octogenarian status in 2005? If you are a blogger, you may find useful tips & interesting stats about bloggers & blogging in Technorati's Annual Blogosphere Report. Key findings from the detailed State of the Blogosphere 2008 report - Blogging is a global phenomenon Self expression and sharing expertise are the top reasons for blogging Personal satisfaction is the key success metric for three out of four bloggers Most Professional and Corporate Bloggers have benefited professionally One in three bloggers are concerned about blog readers learning their identity The vast majority of bloggers are tracking their site visitors and monthly pageviews Bloggers are enjoying CPMs on parity with large publishers Bloggers are active Web 2.0 participants