Re: Where is get a good start with Oracle

> Hi am currently working on a site for the facilities devision of a company.
> I am using access and found that Oracle has much more to offer. However I
> have been in a bind on where to get started. Is there a place that anyone
> would suggest to go to get some good information on learning the admin and
> PL/SQL side of Oracle.
>
> Also I have looked at the Oracle web site and found that I could pay a lot
> for the classes through Oracle but are they worth it?

Oracle's classes are very good ... for what they are. If you already have a background in another database such as Informix or Sybase and want to learn Oracle they are good. If you know a previous version of Oracle and want to upgrade your knowledge they are good. If you are using MS Access and want to learn Oracle they may or may not connect for you.

Here's what I would do.

Go to Oracle's web site and for under $40 you can get a package of CDs containing a lot of Oracle software. Ignore all of it at first except the database ... and install the Standard or Enterprise edition ... not the Personal or Lite version.

Then create some kind of project for yourself. For example a checkbook application, keeping track of baseball cards or record albums. Anything where there are parent-child relationships and look-up tables. I would suggest a minimum of five tables.

Then set yourself a goal such as

1. Create a user
2. Build the tables, indexes, and constraints
3. Write scripts to populate and manage them

At first you may be put off by doing all this from the SQL*Plus command line (not some friendly GUI) but the point is to learn the tool and the syntax. You can go to GUI front-end tools later.

As you bump into problems doing these tasks ask for help at work or here on the web.

After you are successful with this ... then I have no doubt the Oracle classes will be useful too.

Two good books to consider as you start are: Oracle8 How-To by Honour, Dalberth, Kaplan, and Mehta and Oracle 8i For Dummies (it has the Oracle CD inside the back cover).

Daniel A. Morgan Received on Mon Feb 12 2001 - 23:40:59 CST