Top 10 Data Crunching Tips and Tricks

ONLamp.com: Top Ten Data Crunching Tips and Tricks:

"Every day, all over the world, programmers have to recycle legacy data, translate from one vendor's proprietary format into another's, check configuration files, and yank data out of web server logs. This kind of programming is usually called data crunching, and while it's not glamorous, knowing how to do it with the least amount of effort can make the difference between meeting a deadline and making another pot of coffee. These ten tips will take the headache out of crunching data."