Links for the Week of 2009.10.09

SQL Server

Why I prefer surrogate keys instead of natural keys in database designMladen Prajdic put together a great article about using surrogate keys in database design. The best part is that a lot of bright people sounded off in the comments. Donald Farmer Discusses the Benefits of Managed Self-Service BI I spoke with Donald Farmer about this topic when I was at the Richmond Code Camp last weekend. This is an incredible topic that has a lot of promise for the future of Business Intelligence.

Development

Mastering CSS Coding: Getting Started CSS is difficult to master. Very difficult to master. However, once you understand how CSS works it is a very powerful tool. Multiple View Engines with MVC Turbine One of the coolest things about ASP.NET MVC is the flexibility it brings to ASP.NET web development. Javier Lozano demonstrates how it is possible to use multiple view engines within the same page.

Stuff & Things

9 Ways to Make Your Writing More Compelling 9 great tips for dramatically improving your writing. Freelance Contracts: Dos and Don’ts If you’re looking to freelance, it’s important to make sure that your contracts are in order. This can cause no end of pain, trouble, and difficulty if your contracts are ambiguous. Smashing Magazine has some great information to make sure your contracts are in good working order. Cyanide & Happiness