Looks like my web host has been having a few issues with one of the servers they host a database of mine on (specificly, the one that runs this blog and the gallery) - so the site has been unavailable and giving some weird error messages (Why can’t the site deliver up the last copy from cache? C’mon WP-Cache people!)

So, Two interesting articles I’ve found today…

First up is a coding/database article asking why
databases can’t automaticly create indexes.

This is an idea which I’ve always kind of had in the back of my mind when creating indexes, but never sat down and thought about (tbh, I don’t maintain big databases, so it’s not of critical importance for my current line of work).

It appears its not quite as simple you might think, and there could be some nasty repercussions if this automatic optimiser were allowed to go run rampant through your database.

There should be automaticly functionality in the DBMS though, to enable you to get 80 or 90% of the hard work done immediately, when you’re designing your queries/views/sp’s.
Thought provoking, certainly!

The second article I havn’t read fully yet, but it seems quite good - A Beginners Guide to Manual Photography (i.e: how to use your camera without it set to fully automatic).
It gives good coverage of the basics of what the various major items in a camera do, and how it will impact upon the end result. They give good picture examples of what Apeture, Shutter Speed, and ISO do.

Most of this stuff I know well enough to use the camera… but it’s still useful to know for some.