RE: oracle can ignore hints

From: Niall Litchfield <n-litchfield_at_audit-commission.gov.uk>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 09:12:55 -0000
Message-ID: <CFECD6EA683C524BB5FD22C0F1F34ACB01936C54@bristol43.audit-commission.gov.uk>

Hi Dan

I could perhaps have been clearer. That the book has been infuriating me is definitely *not* intended as implying that it is a bad book, it is my emotional reaction to it, and anyway I *like* books that infuriate and challenge me to think, even if I end up rejecting the ideas as wrong (and I am definitely not at that stage) being wrong in a sensible and logical manner is always educational.In any case the book is worth the price of entry alone for the following as early as page 4.

<quote>
There are 3 steps to sql tuning

find out which execution plan you are getting
change the sql or database to get a different execution plan
find out which plan is best.

</quote>

Followed by the (hopefully obvious) discussion of the illogicality of the order of this approach. Stated like this it is obvious that most tuning efforts are at best wasteful of effort (and indeed could probably be done better by software which is great at trying hundreds or thousands of possibilities in a scattergun approach).

Please don't take my comments as overly negative.

Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
Audit Commission
+44 117 975 7805

P.S. I won't be commenting on the book in this public forum anymore - but I did think as it was possible that I seemed harsh on Dan in public I should try to clarify in public as well.

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Received on Mon Mar 15 2004 - 03:10:01 CST