About:

Bert Wagner is a developer, filmmaker, and teacher sharing on data, machine learning, and programming; formerly focused on SQL/SQL Server. Also a coffee enthusiast.

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Specializations:

Interests:

Data Machine learning Programming SQL SQL Server Coffee
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The author shares their experience of building an IoT device called SplashFlag, which alerts neighbors when their kids are swimming, inviting them to join. The post details the design process, key features, and lessons learned, in...
This blog post discusses the process of writing recursive SQL queries to find all records related either directly or through intermediate records in SQL Server. It provides a detailed example using a dataset of relationships, expl...
The blog post discusses floating point errors in SQL Server, particularly how they can lead to unexpected results in calculations, such as stacked bar charts not summing to 100%. It explains the nature of float data types, their t...
The author discusses the decision to update an app that tracks pickup volleyball game scores and payments by switching from Azure SQL to Azure NoSQL Table Storage. Key considerations include cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and des...
This blog post details how to automate the process of downloading the daily New York Times crossword puzzle using curl and bash scripting. The author explains the steps required to log in to the New York Times website, including h...
The author recounts a challenging experience of filtering 1.2 billion records from a 3.5 billion row heap without the ability to add a clustered index. Faced with storage limitations and a short connection timeout, the author devi...
The blog post details the author's process of creating a Twitter follower recommendation engine using Python and the Twitter API. The author aims to find Twitter users followed by their friends that they do not currently follow, a...
The blog post discusses the behavior of SQL Server when converting numbers to strings, particularly focusing on how truncation can lead to unexpected results, such as returning an asterisk. It explains the reasons behind this beha...
The author discusses their experience rebuilding a recording studio and the importance of accurate calculations in SQL Server. They highlight a specific SQL query used to determine the number of studs needed for a wall, revealing ...
The article discusses whether queries embedded in stored procedures execute faster than standalone queries in SQL Server. It concludes that the query optimizer treats both types of queries the same, generating identical execution ...
The post discusses a common mistake in SQL Server where an UPDATE statement can lead to the appearance of a deleted row. The author recounts a scenario involving an SSIS configuration table where a user reported that updating a ro...
The blog post ranks the features of the upcoming SQL Server 2019 release based on two criteria: Excitement and Priority. Excitement reflects the author's enthusiasm for the features, while Priority indicates how soon they will imp...
An LLM helped the author avoid a costly mistake in their circuit design by identifying a critical flaw in their component selection process.
The author discusses their experience creating Talkie, a ChatGPT-like app that prioritizes user privacy and simplicity. Frustrated with existing apps and their costs, they developed Talkie using vanilla JavaScript, focusing on ess...
The post discusses various methods in SQL Server for storing queries, emphasizing the importance of following the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle. It explains scalar functions, inline table-valued functions, multi-statement ...
The post discusses whether to perform data transformations in SQL queries or in application code. It outlines the advantages of using SQL for optimization, ordered data, data reduction, hardware efficiency, and portability. Conver...
A guide on transforming a gaming PC into a NAS server for centralized family photo storage, ensuring easy access and robust backup solutions.
The post discusses the importance of communication skills for programmers, emphasizing that they are as crucial as technical skills. The author shares personal experiences and three key benefits of effective communication: clarity...
The post introduces 'jurn', a command line tool developed in Python to help users log and track their daily work accomplishments. It details the installation process, logging features, tagging system, and how to view entries. The ...
The author shares updates on their life, including a new job in data science, the birth of their second child, and the impact of COVID-19 and social issues on their content creation. They express a desire to return to blogging and...