Re: Advise needed: Can I use/learn Oracle quickly?

sPh wrote:

> I was thrown into an Oracle situation with less experience than you
> have now, and given a mandate to "make it work". Which I did, so I
> guess it IS possible ;-)

Hehe,
My first experience with any database was like that too. I was called in to fix a 'minor javascriptproblem'. Turned out that the DB wasn't responding (properly). So after 3 hours of work, gazing at poorly written VBscipt, I told my customer: "It is not in the Javascript, so I better leave, let somebody fix that database. I'll send you a very small 3hours bill." He responded: "WHO will fix that?? I am in a hurry. I want you to fix it." I told him I never touched a database, and he better get in somebody who actually did, but he didn't give in, so I started to learn SQL on Sybase. :-)

>
> Here are the references I found most useful, or which knowing what I
> now know I would have found most useful, had I known about them!
>
> Oracle Concepts Guide for your version.
> http://otn.oracle.com/documentation/index.html
> Every who knows Oracle will tell you over and over to print it out and
> (1) skim it (2) then go back and read it. I resisted for a long time,
> but now that I am on my second reading I have been assimilated. Get
> it and read it.
>
> Oracle SQL*Plus from O'Reilly
> http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/orsqplus/
> Great introduction to using SQL*Plus, which is really a necessary
> skill for any serious Oracle work. Touches on a lot of other
> practical day-to-day topics as well.
>
> AskTom web site
> http://asktom.oracle.com
> After you have started on the above two, get in the habit of reading
> this site daily and searching there for any question you have. Mr.
> Kyte is one of the most amazing technical teachers, writers, and
> evangalists I have ever encountered.
>
> Expert One-on-One: Oracle by Tom Kyte
> Effective Oracle by Design by Tom Kyte
> Obtain from your favorite bookseller. Read daily. These are
> "arms length" books - they should always be within arms length of
> where you are working. I have one set on my desk, one set for each of
> my employees, and one set at home. In fact I am now collecting
> different editions, which is kind of weird.
>
> The comp.databases.oracle.* Usenet groups you already know about.
> They really are a great resources but you have to filter out some of
> the responses, as you already know ;-(
>
> You are probably already familiar with Visual Introduction to SQL by
> Chappell et. al.
> http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471412767.html
> Do the exercises in this book in SQL*Plus and you are in good shape
> for basic SQL under Oracle.
>
> Now re-read the chapters in the Concepts Guide on read consistency,
> multi-versioning, and locks. Also read the Tom Kyte chapters on those
> topics.
>
> If you want a GUI tool, TOAD is great but very expensive. You can try
> out the freeware version here:
> http://www.toadsoft.com/lic_agree.html
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> sPh

Thanks a lot for the pointer!
I was excactly hoping for such resources.

Regards and respect,
Erwin Moller Received on Fri Feb 13 2004 - 10:12:38 CST