Someone asked me whether I knew the application TOAD, I do, and which is a database administration application and which used to work only with Oracle. Why were they asking me about an Oracle application when all we use is MS SQL Server?

Coz TOAD now does SQL Server as well as a few other database systems. I thought I’d see if I can get TOAD setup at home so that I can freshen up my knowledge of it. Easier said than done. If I want to run TOAD then it needs an underlying dbms to run on and it will almost certainly need that dbms when installing TOAD. So firstly see if I can get SQL Server. Did a search and Microsoft do an Express version for free, so I downloaded SQL Server 2008 Express. Ran setup and that didn’t install as it needed the .NET framework. Downloaded that quite quickly and let it install itself, which took ages doing god knows what damage to my registry. Tried to install SQL Server again and this time it wanted the Microsoft, or is that Windows, Installer 4.5. Downloaded and installed that OK. Then I found out that I needed to install Windows Powershell, which I did. Retried to install SQL Server and this time it ground to a halt with an error message that was about as user friendly as a cornered rat about my administrator username that I’d entered, or something like that. This is getting hard work.

Just had a look on the net and seems I’m not the only person who has run into setup problems.

Just read that the CEO of RIM, who make the Blackberry Storm, has said “software glitches on smartphones are now part of the “new reality” as firms rush device development in order to meet important sales days”. I assume that the small print on documentation with your new smartphone will say something like ‘the software on this phone, (which you had actually bought it for) may or may not work’. Good stuff.