Re: Why does Oracle 8 seem like such a big mess?

Hi Steve,

I may not be the ideal person to answer this: I started 10 years ago using Oracle 5.1.17 and 5.1.22 and should you have been working with Oracle at that time. It has matured a big deal. If you are making such generic comments, you could expect getting generic comments back. As far as I am concerned (and I have been using Microsux database products) Oracle is the only major database which should be considered rock stable. You mention Linux. I am afraid that Linux is not stable. What is posted on this newsgroup regarding Linux problems has never occurred with any major Unix implementation, like HP-UX, Solaris or AIX. You should agree there are many different Linux 'flavors' around, and you should also agree Oracle can't certify against all those different flavors. IMO, Linux is on the problem areas. There is another problem (and other veterans in this business probably agree with me): Many of the people installing Linux, and installing Oracle, just start 'somewhere': they don't seem to read any installation manual, any release notes. I feel I am justified to say so, because I have been working in the same fashion many years ago, and I have paid for it, not financially (or in a way financially), because I have been making many overtime hours, just because I started 'somewhere'.
I would be happy to answer specific 'complaints'. There's one in your post already about the making of backups. Your remark is simply unjustified. If you know how to write a ksh script you can do both online and offline backup, and the Oracle DBA Handbook has a working example. Oracle is a mature product, it is far more mature than any Microsoft database product (and it's very easy to make derogatory remarks about MS products), so yes, don't expect to be able to start 'somewhere'.

Best regards,

--
Sybrand Bakker, Oracle DBA

Steve Bowen <chive_at_jps.net> wrote in message news:7rb5r7$m5v$1_at_oak.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> Over the last few months I've been evaluating various databases on Linux.
> I've worked with Oracle, Sybase ASE, Informix, MySQL and PostgreSQL.
>
> I have to admit that Oracle baffles me. A great many things that should be
> simple and easy seem to be difficult and messy. Working with Oracle
> databases seems to require opening a multitude of different management
> tools. The Linux install routines have suffered from a large number of
bugs
> and errors. Making simple backups seem to be incredibly difficult.
>
> What am I missing? Is it that Oracle is so powerful for large
installations
> that people are willing to live with it's weaknesses and oddities? Oracle
> skills are much in demand but I find that working with Sybase or Informix
> much more pleasant and productive.
>
> I'm not trying to be argumentative. Here at work I'm stuck with MS SQL7.
But
> I also have the opportunity to start phasing in a Linux database and I
need
> to decide where to invest my time.
>
>
>
Received on Fri Sep 10 1999 - 13:28:19 CDT