Re: Which Oracle books to buy

"Thomas T" <T_at_T> wrote in message news:3f86dd83$1_at_rutgers.edu...
> "Randy Harris" <randy_at_SpamFree.com> wrote in message
> news:DKlhb.70$P%1.73625_at_newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> > > > "Randy Harris" <randy_at_SpamFree.com> wrote in message
> > > news:DxYgb.11$_v.12553_at_newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> > >
> > > One minor problem I have with that book idea- ADO/Oracle isn't just a
VB
> > > thing. For that matter, ADO isn't an Oracle thing! ADO is the same
> > > everywhere. You'll have access to ADO command, recordset, connection,
> etc
> > > objects in any of the .NET languages- not just VB. And you can use
the
> > ADO
> > > objects with any database- even text files. Don't concentrate on
> learning
> > > ADO with Oracle. Just learn ADO. I hope that makes sense- ADO works
> > > everywhere. If you can understand how ADO works, you'll be able to
pair
> > it
> > > with any database you like. In fact, most ADO books start off with
> using
> > > Microsoft Access (ugh!) as a database. (And I'm sure you know this,
but
> > > never use MS Access for anything remotely serious in the business
> world!)
> > > You might better be paired with a couple Oracle-specific books, and
one
> > > ADO-intensive book. If a book talks about ADO with C#, so be it!
> You'll
> > be
> > > able to apply it to VB without any difficulty! ADO is ADO, anywhere
it
> > > appears.
> > >
> > > Keep this in mind: Stay away from pre-made VB controls such as the
data
> > > grid. Yes, the grid is fun and quick- but it's in no way useful. At
> the
> > > (..snip..)
> >
> > Thomas,
> >
> > You make some very good points. In my own defense, I did preface my
> > recommendation of the book with the condition that the plan was to use
VB
> > with Oracle.
> >
> > I am very surprised by one of your comments, however, and would much
> > appreciate further clarification. Keeping indexes on a different
physical
> > disk from the tables they are built on, is a myth? I thought that was a
> > recommended practice. Please explain.
> >
> > Randy

>
> Randy, I wasn't really arguing against your book- in fact I haven't seen
it
> myself- but I just offered a different learning track. In fact, the
> booklist I gave might make matters worse, since my point was to learn ADO
> separate from Oracle and separate from VB. It might make more sense to
> learn ADO/Oracle/VB all at once, and then apply it to the rest of
> Microsoft's programming suite. But that's what makes programmers
different!
> Since Kari said she budged for 4 or 5 books, I used up her budget in one
> trip to the bookstore, with no room for a mocha latte. (laughs)
>
> As to the myth bit, there's a ton out there- I've used Oracle since 7.3,
and
> after recently (2 or 3 months ago) finding out about the myths, I'm still
in
> a bit of shock. For a great explanation on the index/data disk issue, see
> this message at Tom Kyte's website:

>
http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/f?p=4950:8:::::F4950_P8_DISPLAYID:5071430793941
> At that page, read the link to google- its' from a discussion from
> oracle.server that happened last year. Another myth you might want to dig
> up would be the periodic scheduling (ex: once a month) re-building of
> indexes to "reclaim" disk space, see

>
http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/f?p=4950:8:::::F4950_P8_DISPLAYID:6601312252730,
> for that bit.

>
> Definately search google.com for "Oracle Myths", and "Oracle Tuning
Myths"-
> you'll find a lot of shockers. Most of these myths were valid back in the
> 90's, and everyone's just taken them as fact since then. That's what I
love
> about these newsgroups- it's the "real world" versus the "book world".
>
> -Thomas

Wow! You weren't kidding. Fascinating reading. I'm stunned. And embarrassed. I've been propagating many of these "myths".

Randy Received on Sat Oct 11 2003 - 01:27:26 CDT