I’m always impressed and amazed with what happens in the SQL Server community. If you need help, there almost always seems to be a willing and able hand that reaches down to pull you up. It happens again and again, all around. I take part in SQL Server Central, one of the best, and biggest, communities out there for SQL Server. The people that pitch in every day are some of the nicest you’re ever going to meet, but they’re also extremely well informed. I regularly benefit from people swinging by this blog to offer suggestions or solutions or improvements to my ramblings. I’ve been making friends and developing contacts at the PASS Summit for the last four years and at my local user’s group for the last two.  I’ve also been using Twitter for some entertainment, chat, and the occasional question or answer regarding SQL Server. You can get involved with Twitter by looking at the list of active DBA’s over at SQLServerPedia.
The reason I’m talking about all this? I’m trying to implement spatial data in SQL Server 2008. I’ve played with it a bit, but now I’m really drilling down for the first time. I have a vendor that’s supply our company with some geospatial information and we need to import it automatically into the database. The format I had was .GML. After searching through the internet, several times, several ways, to try to find whatever methods for loading .GML files had already been worked out, I came up empty handed. Apparently no one does this much. So, in addition to trying to refine or broaden my search to land more pertinent data, I sent out a question on Twitter. I recieved a response very shortly, pointing me to a resource. I sent him a message and I received enough information back to get over the hump I was in. Easy-Peasy Lemon Squeezy. Not only did I have more information than previously, but I had another contact that I hope I can return the favor and help out someday.
Another triumph for networking, communication and community. This stuff works.