Top 5 SQL Server Forums

As you no doubt already know, there is a ridiculously large amount of SQL Server Information available out there on the internet. Whether you’re browsing forums, web sites or blogs, knowing what the best sources of SQL Server information are and more importantly which one’s you can trust, can be tricky.

So to help you get started on the right track, below is my list of what I consider to be the Top 5 SQL Server Forums on the internet.

1. StackOverflow
2. SQL Server Central
3. ServerFault
4. Microsoft MSDN SQL Server Forums
5. SQLTeam

StackOverflow

There’s not a lot more I can say about this site that I have not done so already. Unlike the majority of technology forums currently out there, Stackoverflow covers more than just SQL Server, in fact a whole variety of technology related subject areas are catered for. I’m a real big fan of the site and for a detailed review read about my Stackoverflow Addiction.

SQL Server Central

I consider this site to be a one stop SQL Server shop. Not only does it have one of the best SQL Server Forums on the internet but also a tremendous volume of SQL Server articles, blogs and general content. This is must view site for all SQL Server professionals.

ServerFault

This is the sister site to Stackoverflow and is all about hardware and administration. Given the ridiculously high level of expert knowledge and experience of some of the posters on the forum, I consider ServerFault to be an essential reference tool for all serious SQL Server Database Administrators.

Microsoft MSDN SQL Server Forums

In my opinion this is the forum you go to when you have a seriously tough question you need answering. The community on this forum is quite close nit and perhaps a little cliquey at times but the quality of the detailed responses provided to queries is superb and the number of expert moderators on hand is second to none, thereby negating any down sides there may possibly be. There is also a separate forum for each SQL Server technology and feature, meaning that the community for each forum are experts in the specific subject area you need help on. Bottom line, if you cannot find an answer to your query elsewhere on the net then you will find it here!

SQLTeam

Another favourite of mine, this forum is well established and has been going for a good while now. That means that there is a wealth of knowledge there for you to get stuck into and a solid community of experienced SQL Server experts on hand to answer your queries.

There you have it, my Top 5 SQL Server Forums. I’m sure there are some other great undiscovered SQL Server resources out there. If you come across a great resource be sure to let me know!

Well I suppose it was both inevitable and only a matter of time before I became the next victim of Stackoverflow addiction!

I hold BrentO fully responsible for this devourer of my valuable free time. For it was he who introduced me to what is quite possibly one of the best technology forums on the web. Whilst catching up on the goings on in the SQL Server community this week, I noticed that Brent was once again harping on about how great some technology forum called Stackoverflow is.

Now as you may already know, I’m a regular on the Microsoft SQL Server Forums and also frequent the SQL Server Central boards every once in a while too. These are the SQL Server knowledge bases and resources that I hold with the highest regard and so it is going to take something pretty special to get my attention.

So what is it about Stackoverflow that separates it from the rest of the pack? For me it comes down to two things, diversity of subject matter and user participation.

Diversity of Subject Matter

Unlike the majority of technology forums currently out there, Stackoverflow covers more than just SQL Server, in fact a whole variety of technology related subject areas are catered for.

This is a brilliant idea as often when you are working on a project or a SQL Server task, you are frequently not actually working with a single technology in isolation but rather a mix of several. For example you may be using C#, LINQ,.NET or even JAVA technology in addition to SQL Server.

The site uses a tagging system so that a question that falls into several categories may be tagged for each subject. This means that questions can reach a wider audience and can be answered by knowledge experts from an appropriate field.

User participation

Users have the ability to give recognition to a posters answer by giving either a positive or negative recognition point. The negative feature is unique in that it both discourages the posting of bad advice and highlights what is considered to be bad advice to other readers.

Once a user has accrued a certain level of recognition points, this permits them to edit another posters answer! This serves to enhance the quality of the preferred answer that is chosen for a given question.

Users are also awarded badges in recognition of a whole host of differing achievements. It is the overall recognition system that provides the addictive quality to the site.

To summarise it is clear that this site brings a lot of new ideas to the table but for me it is the increased user participation that is a winner as I believe it results in the production of more reliable content that is of a higher quality. Don’t just take my word for it thought, check if out for yourself. Visit Stackoverflow.com